title: Gold nanoparticles confined in vertically aligned silica nanochannels and their electrocatalytic activity toward ascorbic acid.
abstract: A facile method of confining gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in silica nanochannels aligned perpendicularly to an underlying electrode surface is reported. The nanochannel surface carrying a layer of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxy silane (APTS) displays a strong electrostatic interaction with AuCl4(-), eventually resulting in the confinement of AuNPs inside the nanochannels after chemical reduction. As-prepared AuNPs in APTS-modified mesoporous silica film (APTS-MSF) are highly dispersed with a narrow size distribution. Furthermore, these AuNPs are free of protecting ligands and exhibit a good electrochemical catalytic activity toward the oxidation of ascorbic acid.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microanalytical Systems, Department of Chemistry, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058 (P.R. China), Fax: (+86) 571-88273572.
authors.forename: Longhua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Wanzhen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qinqin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yayun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Su
keywords: ascorbic acid; electrocatalysis; gold nanoparticles; mesoporous materials; silica nanochannels