Gold Nanoparticles Confined in Vertically Aligned Silica Nanochannels and Their Electrocatalytic Activity Toward Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

A facile method of confining gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in silica nanochannels aligned perpendicularly to an underlying electrode surface is reported. The nanochannel surface carrying a layer of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxy silane (APTS) displays a strong electrostatic interaction with AuCl4(-), eventually resulting in the confinement of AuNPs inside the nanochannels after chemical reduction. As-prepared AuNPs in APTS-modified mesoporous silica film (APTS-MSF) are highly dispersed with a narrow size distribution. Furthermore, these AuNPs are free of protecting ligands and exhibit a good electrochemical catalytic activity toward the oxidation of ascorbic acid.

Synthesis of Vertically Aligned Porous Silica Thin Films Functionalized by Silver Ions

“…Despite their extraordinary structure, the real potential of porous silica thin films became clear after taking into account the possibility of their functionalization [ 4 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. From this point of view vertically aligned mesoporous silica layer can be treated as a unique template that can be precisely modified for particular needs via the deposition of corresponding units (functional groups [ 29 , 30 ], molecules [ 31 , 32 ], nanoparticles [ 33 , 34 ], nanowires [ 35 , 36 , 37 ], etc. [ 38 ]).…”

Voltammetric behaviour of cationic redox probes at mesoporous silica film electrodes

“…Their performance can be affected by various factors such as the mesopore size [32,44], the mesochannel length/thickness [45,46], the solution pH and/or ionic strength [47,48] and the surface charge of the pores [43,49]. They are also attractive hosts for inclusion of redox mediator species or adsorption/confinement of other catalysts, for applications in electrocatalytic or electrochemiluminescence sensing, for instance [50][51][52][53][54][55][56].…”

Multilayered Materials Comprising Mesoporous Thin Films and Metal Nanoparticles

“…Many of these complex architectures based on MPTF alone or combined with metallic NP have been tested for applications that take advantage of their special properties. In particular, these materials have been used as optical sensors, Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) based sensors, catalysts, photocatalysts, photochromic materials, and for nonlinear optics …”