title: Generalized route to metal nanoparticles with liquid behavior.
abstract: We report the generalized synthesis of metal nanoparticles with liquid-like behavior. We introduce a thiol-containing ionic liquid, N,N-dioctyl-N-(3-mercaptopropyl)-N-methylammonium bromide, which serves as a ligand for platinum, gold, palladium, and rhodium nanoparticles. A rapid reduction using THF-soluble metal salts in the presence of the thiol generates nanoparticles with tunable sizes and size distributions. The as-synthesized nanoparticles are a solid and decompose before melting. Upon exchange of the halide anion for an amphiphilic sulfonate anion, however, the nanoparticles exhibit liquid-like properties at room temperature. The liquids have high metal loadings; for example, the 2.7 nm platinum nanoparticle liquid is 36% platinum by mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, USA.
authors.forename: Scott C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Banholzer
authors.forename: Liane S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Slaughter
authors.forename: Emmanuel P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Giannelis
authors.forename: Francis J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: DiSalvo
authors.forename: Ulrich B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Wiesner