title: Formation and optical properties of silver perfluorodecanethiolate nanoparticles.
abstract: This article reports a new catalytic method for preparing nanoparticles of silver thiolate from silver nanoparticles scattered on a ZrO2-coated substrate. Such nanoparticles transform into silver (perfluoro) decanethiolate after immersion in a solution of (perfluoro) decanethiol in heptane. These transformations occur at room temperature and are catalysed by ZrO2. The silver decanethiolate is obtained as lamellar crystals while the silver perfluorodecanethiolate is obtained in amorphous state. The modifications of the sample optical properties due to this latter compound are studied in correlation with its surface morphology, according to different preparation conditions. It is shown that an antireflective effect in addition to the damping of the plasmon band of the silver nanoparticles can be responsible for a large transmittance enhancement in the near-UV and visible ranges. These effects are modulated by the possible oxidation of the silver nanoparticle surface. In the absence of silver oxidation, the silver perfluorodecanethiolate is obtained as contiguous spheroidal nanoparticles, while, in the presence of silver oxidation, this compound is mainly obtained as entangled nanowires.
authors: Institut Lumière Matière, UMR 5306, Université Lyon 1-CNRS, Université de Lyon, 69622 Villeurbanne Cedex, France. roger.brenier@univ-lyon1.fr
authors: Roger
authors: R
authors: Brenier
authors: Agnès
authors: A
authors: Piednoir
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Bessueille
authors: José
authors: J
authors: Penuelas
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Terrier
keywords: Antireflective effect; Catalytic formation; Silver nanoparticles; Silver thiolate complexes; ZrO(2)