Synthesis of Dodecanethiol-Capped Nanoparticles Using Ionic Liquids

Abstract

− Nanoparticles have received significant attention because of their unusual characteristics including high surface area to volume ratios. Thiol ligand have been used as stabilizers of metal nanoparticles since Brust et al. They reported the preparation method of ligand capped metal nanoparticles by protecting the nanoparticles with a self-assembled monolayer of dodecanethiolate. In this method, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were used as sovents. This study was carried out to replace these VOCs with room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs). We used two type of ILs to prepare metal nanoparticles. One is a hydrophobic IL, [BMIM][[PF 6 ] (1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate)purchased from IL maker, C-Tri from Korea and the other one is a hydrophilic one, [BMIM][Cl] (1-Buthy-3-methylimdazolium chloride) sinthesized by us. In the case of preparing Ag and Au nanoparticles using [BMIM][Cl], we didn't use phase transition reagents and ethanol because it has hydrophilic property and preparing Au, Ag nanoparticles using [BMIM] [[PF 6 ] the method is as same as Brust et al.'s except using [BMIM][[PF 6 ] instead of organic solvent because it has hydrophobic property. FT-IR and UV-vis, TEM, TGA analysis have been used in an attempt to determine the particle size and verify functional groups. The particle size obtained from TEM was very similar to those obtained by Brust et al. This is a clear example of ligand capped metal nanoparticles prepared using ionic liquids. And the experimental result demonstrated ionic liquids can act as a highly effective medium for the preparation and stabilization of gold and silver metal nanoparticles.