Electrochemical nucleation of gold nanoparticles in a polymer film at a liquid-liquid interface

Simultaneous nucleation of gold nanoparticles and polymerization of tyramine has been carried out at an immiscible electrolyte interface. By transferring the gold ion of tetraoctylammoniumtetracloroaurate (TOAAuCl(4)) from the organic to the aqueous phase, a fast homogeneous electron transfer from the tyramine monomer reduces the gold ion. Electropolymerization then proceeds, and gold nanoparticles form. The newly formed nanoparticles act as nucleation sites for the deposition of the oligomers/polymer (and possibly vice versa). This results in gold nanoparticles stabilized in a polytyramine matrix. The size of the nanoparticles is controlled by the concentration of oligomers/polymer in solution. The polymer nanoparticle composite film was analyzed with TEM, XPS, and AFM.