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Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Synthesis, Assembly, and Characterization of Monolayer Protected Gold Nanoparticle Films for Protein Monolayer Electrochemistry
Published on: October 4, 2011
Counting the atoms in supported, monolayer-protected gold clusters
1Nanoscale Physics Research Laboratory, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom.
Abstract:
Mass spectrometry of supported, monolayer-protected, nominally Au(38) (MP-Au(38)) clusters is performed via quantitative High Angle Annular Dark Field-Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) using size-selected Au(N) clusters (N = 25, 38, 55) as mass standards. With the intensity due to the (presumed) 24 hexanethiolate ligands taken into account, the clusters are found to contain 38 +/- 2 Au atoms. The method may also be used to determine the degree of aggregation of deposited nanoparticles.

