Spin-labelled Au nanoparticles.
A series of Au nanoparticles functionalised with nitroxide spin labels has been prepared and studied by EPR spectroscopy. Samples with low coverage of the spin label were used to investigate the dynamics of the surface-attached labels at different distances from the Au surface. The rotational correlation times of spin labels vary from 10(-10) s to more than 3 x 10(-9) s, depending on the chain length of the label and the surrounding ligand. The samples with higher coverage of the spin label show an increasing contribution of the exchange interaction between nitroxides adsorbed in a close proximity to each other on the same nanoparticle. Quantitative analysis of the EPR spectra of these samples suggests the presence of non-equivalent binding sites on the surface of Au nanoparticles. Additionally, EPR signals of isolated radical pairs were observed at intermediate coverage.
Chechik
Victor
V
Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, UK YO10 5DD. vc4@york.ac.uk
Wellsted
Helen J
HJ
Korte
Alexander
A
Gilbert
Bruce C
BC
Caldararu
Horia
H
Ionita
Petre
P
Caragheorgheopol
Agneta
A