A nanocomposite of dodecanethiol-passivated Au nanoparticles (average
diameter 2.6nm) and a silica aerogel has been fabricated. It was found
that the Au particles were efficiently adsorbed on a silica wet-gel
in organic solvents and that the particles were not flushed out by
supercritical CO2 drying. The size distribution of the
Au cores did not change in the drying process. The composite formation
from the preformed nanoparticles and silica gel, and the formation
of composite aerogel without changing the particle sizes can lead
to a simple and efficient way to production of devices with non-linear
optical property or high catalytic activity.
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| Photographic
images of silica wet-gel in the Au nanoparticle-toluene solution
at (a) 0, (b) 5, and (c) 57 hours after immersion. (d) a photographic
image of the nanoparticle /silica composite aerogel. The product
aerogel was cut into two to show the spatial distribution of
the nanoparticles. |
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| Relational Information |
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AIST Today Vol. 3, No. 2 (2003)12
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No.8
Spring 2003
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