Assemblies of carbon nanotubes and unencapsulated sub-10-nm gold nanoparticles.
The development of assemblies consisting of unencapsulated, sub-10-nm gold particles attached to individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with diameters of 2 nm is described. The assemblies are formed on the surface of a porous anodic alumina (PAA) template on which the CNTs (single- or double-walled) are grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The Au nanoparticles are formed through an indirect evaporation technique using a silicon nitride membrane mask, and diffuse along the PAA surface into the regions containing CNTs. The nanoparticles bind relatively strongly to the CNTs, as indicated by observations of nanoparticles that are suspended over pores or that move along with the CNTs. This approach may provide a new method to functionalize CNTs for chemical or biological sensing and fundamental studies of nanoscale contacts to CNTs.
Hang
Qingling
Q
School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA.
Maschmann
Matthew R
MR
Fisher
Timothy S
TS
Janes
David B
DB
D006046:Gold; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D006046:Gold