Characterizations of nanostructured films as responsive electrode materials

Nanostructured thin films were assembled as metal-responsive electrode materials from monolayer-capped gold nanoparticles (2 nm) and carboxylic acid functionalized alkyl thiol linkers via an exchange-crosslinking-precipitation reaction pathway. The network assemblies have open frameworks in which void space forms channels or chambers with the nanometer sized cores defining its size and the shell structures defining its chemical specificity. Such nanostructures were investigated as responsive materials for the detection of metal ion fluxes. Cyclic voltammetry, in-situ electrochemical quartz-crystal nanobalance, and surface infrared reflection spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the interfacial redox reactivity and mass fluxes at the nanostructured electrode materials. The system showed remarkable reversible mass loading arising from incorporation of ionic species into the film. The diagnostic stretching bands of the carboxylic and carboxylate groups at the shell allowed the identification and assessment of the interfacial carboxylate-metal ion reactivity.