Full Paper

Interactions of Gold Nanoparticles with the Interior of Hollow Graphitized Carbon Nanofibers

  1. Alessandro La Torre1,
  2. Michael W. Fay2,
  3. Graham A. Rance1,
  4. Maria del Carmen Gimenez-Lopez1,
  5. William A. Solomonsz1,
  6. Paul D. Brown3,
  7. Andrei N. Khlobystov1,*

Article first published online: 15 FEB 2012

DOI: 10.1002/smll.201102007

Issue

Small

Small

Volume 8, Issue 8, pages 1222–1228, April 23, 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

La Torre, A., Fay, M. W., Rance, G. A., del Carmen Gimenez-Lopez, M., Solomonsz, W. A., Brown, P. D. and Khlobystov, A. N. (2012), Interactions of Gold Nanoparticles with the Interior of Hollow Graphitized Carbon Nanofibers. Small, 8: 1222–1228. doi: 10.1002/smll.201102007

Author Information

  1. 1

    School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

  2. 2

    Nottingham Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Centre, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

  3. 3

    Division of Materials, Mechanics and Structures, Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

*School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 APR 2012
  2. Article first published online: 15 FEB 2012
  3. Manuscript Revised: 16 NOV 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 26 SEP 2011

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Keywords:

  • gold nanoparticles;
  • carbon nanofibers;
  • carbon nanotubes;
  • host–guest interactions

Abstract

Interactions of free-standing gold nanoparticles and hollow graphitized nanofibers in colloidal suspension are investigated, revealing the first example of the controlled arrangement of nanoparticles inside nano-containers, as directed by their internal structure. The ordering is highly effective for small gold nanoparticles whose sizes are commensurate with the height of graphitic step-edges in the graphitized carbon nanofibers and is less effective for larger gold nanoparticles. Studies aimed at understanding the role of the organic-solvent surface tension, employed for the filling experiments, demonstrate that gold nanoparticles become preferentially anchored into the hollow graphitized carbon nanofibers under a mixture of pentane/CO2 in supercritical conditions. It is shown that a three-step cleaning procedure enables effective removal of gold nanoparticles adsorbed on the exterior surface of graphitized carbon nanofibers, while ordered arrays of encapsulated nanoparticles are retained.

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