Nanoparticle Capping Agent Controlled Electron-Transfer Dynamics in Ionic Liquids

Eden E L Tanner; Christopher Batchelor-McAuley; Richard G Compton

doi:10.1002/chem.201505117

Nanoparticle Capping Agent Controlled Electron-Transfer Dynamics in Ionic Liquids

Chemistry. 2016 Apr 18;22(17):5976-81. doi: 10.1002/chem.201505117. Epub 2016 Mar 21.

Authors

Eden E L Tanner¹, Christopher Batchelor-McAuley², Richard G Compton³

Affiliations

¹ University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK.
² University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK. christopher.batchelor-mcauley@chem.ox.ac.uk.
³ University of Oxford, Department of Chemistry, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK. richard.compton@chem.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 26997502
DOI: 10.1002/chem.201505117

Abstract

Herein, we report a change in the mechanism of the oxidation of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) with the molecular weight of a poly(ethylene) glycol (PEG) capping agent. Characterisation of the modified nanoparticles is undertaken using dynamic light scattering and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Electrochemical analyses reveal that the oxidation of 6000 molecular weight (MW) PEG is consistent with a polymer-gated mechanism, whilst for 2000 MW PEG the polymer does not hinder the oxidation. The 10,000 MW PEG Ag NPs are rendered almost electrochemically inactive. This study demonstrates the ability to alter and better understand the electron-transfer mechanism in a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) by systematically altering the capping agent.

Keywords: capping agents; ionic liquids; nanoparticles; polymer-gating; single nanoparticle impacts.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't