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Synthesis, Assembly, and Characterization of Monolayer Protected Gold Nanoparticle Films for Protein Monolayer Electrochemistry
Published on: October 4, 2011
Alkanethiol self-assembling on gold: Influence of high frequency ultrasound on adsorption kinetics and
Florian Roy1, Abdeslam Et Taouil1, Fabrice Lallemand1
1Institut UTINAM, UMR 6213 CNRS, Univ Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 30 Avenue de l'Observatoire, 25009 Besançon Cedex, France.
Abstract:
Self-assembling of undecanthiol (C11SH) on polycrystalline gold was investigated under two different conditions. The kinetics of C11SH grafting was studied without and under high frequency ultrasound irradiation. Two electrochemical experiments were extensively carried out in order to determine electrochemical surface blocking of adsorbed layers as a function of grafting time: chronoamperometry in-situ monitoring and cyclic voltammetry. Interestingly, the grafting process is highly accelerated under sonication, and C11SH modified substrates of good quality are obtained after 3h' immersion under ultrasound irradiation. This would allow elaboration of high-quality alkanethiol modified samples within much shorter times. Water contact angle measurements and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) confirmed the presence of adsorbed undecanthiol on the gold surface. A very close link between electrochemical blocking, surface hydrophobicity and species chemical grafting was established.

