Membranes and their size-selective filtering properties are universal in nature and their behavior is exploited to design artificial membranes suited for, e.g., molecule or nanoparticle filtering and separation. Exploring and understanding penetration and transmission mechanisms of nanoparticles in thin-film systems may provide new opportunities for size selective deposition or embedding of the nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate an unexpected finding that the sieving of metal nanoparticles through atomically thin nonporous alkali halide films on a metal support is size dependent and that this sieving effect can be tuned via the film thickness. Specifically, relying on scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, combined with density functional theory calculations, we find that defect-free NaCl films on a Au(111) support act as size-dependent membranes for deposited Au nanoclusters. The observed sieving ability is found to originate from a driving force toward the metal support and from the dynamics of both the nanoparticles and the alkali halide films.

Li, Z., Chen, H., Schouteden, K., Picot, T., Houben, K., Liao, T., et al. (2016). Size-Dependent Penetration of Gold Nanoclusters through a Defect-Free, Nonporous NaCl Membrane. NANO LETTERS, 16(5), 3063-3070 [10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b00126].

Size-Dependent Penetration of Gold Nanoclusters through a Defect-Free, Nonporous NaCl Membrane

CHEN, HSIN YI;PACCHIONI, GIANFRANCO;
2016

Abstract

Membranes and their size-selective filtering properties are universal in nature and their behavior is exploited to design artificial membranes suited for, e.g., molecule or nanoparticle filtering and separation. Exploring and understanding penetration and transmission mechanisms of nanoparticles in thin-film systems may provide new opportunities for size selective deposition or embedding of the nanoparticles. Here, we demonstrate an unexpected finding that the sieving of metal nanoparticles through atomically thin nonporous alkali halide films on a metal support is size dependent and that this sieving effect can be tuned via the film thickness. Specifically, relying on scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, combined with density functional theory calculations, we find that defect-free NaCl films on a Au(111) support act as size-dependent membranes for deposited Au nanoclusters. The observed sieving ability is found to originate from a driving force toward the metal support and from the dynamics of both the nanoparticles and the alkali halide films.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Metal nanoparticle filtering; penetration and transmission mechanisms; size-dependent membrane; thin nonporous alkali halide film;
Metal nanoparticle filtering; penetration and transmission mechanisms; size-dependent membrane; thin nonporous alkali halide film; Bioengineering; Chemistry (all); Materials Science (all); Condensed Matter Physics; Mechanical Engineering
English
2016
16
5
3063
3070
none
Li, Z., Chen, H., Schouteden, K., Picot, T., Houben, K., Liao, T., et al. (2016). Size-Dependent Penetration of Gold Nanoclusters through a Defect-Free, Nonporous NaCl Membrane. NANO LETTERS, 16(5), 3063-3070 [10.1021/acs.nanolett.6b00126].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/149931
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