title: Laser ablation synthesis of new gold arsenides using nano-gold and arsenic as precursors. Laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry and spectrophotometry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently, a limited number of gold arsenides have been described, some of which have important industrial applications, Laser ablation synthesis (LAS) has been employed in an attempt to generate some novel gold arsenide compounds.
  
  
  METHODS
  LAS of gold arsenides was performed using nano-gold (NG) and arsenic as precursors. The clusters formed during laser desorption ionisation (LDI) were analysed by mass spectrometry using a quadrupole ion trap and reflectron time-of-flight analyser to determine the stoichiometry. UV/VIS spectrophotometry was used to follow possible hydrothermal synthesis of gold arsenides.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LAS of NG yielded singly charged gold clusters Aum (+(-)) (m = 1-35). LAS of bulk arsenic and nano-arsenic produced Asn (+(-)) clusters with n = 2-10 and n = 2-20, respectively. Laser ablation of Au-As nano-composites or NG-As mixtures generated Aum (+(-)) (m = 1-12), Asn (+(-)) (n = 3-4), and several series of Aum Asn (+(-)) (m = 1-60, n = 1-18) clusters. Over 450 species of gold arsenide clusters and 212 mixed chlorinated Aum Asn Clx clusters were detected and their stoichiometry determined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many new gold arsenides were synthesised via LAS for the first time with Au-As composites and NG-As mixtures of different Au:As ratios using mass spectrometry to determine cluster stoichiometry. The resolved stoichiometry of Aum Asn clusters determined in this study could accelerate the development of advanced Au-As nano-materials.
authors: Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5/A14, 625 00, Brno, Czech Republic; Department of Physical Electronics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic; CEPLANT, R&D Center for Low-Cost Plasma and Nanotechnology Surface Modifications, Masaryk University, Kotlářská 2, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic.
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