Issue 7, 2024

Experimental and theoretical evidence for unprecedented strong interactions of gold atoms with boron on boron/sulfur-doped carbon surfaces

Abstract

The 16e square-planar bis-thiolato-Au(III) complexes [AuIII(1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecarborane-1,2-dithiolato)2][NBu4] (Au-1) and [AuIII(4-methyl-1,2-benzenedithiolato)2][NBu4] (Au-2) have been synthesized and fully characterized. Au-1 and Au-2 were encapsulated in the symmetrical triblock copolymer poloxamer (Pluronic®) P123 containing blocks of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide), giving micelles AuMs-1 and AuMs-2. High electron flux in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was used to generate single gold atoms and gold nanocrystals on B/S-doped graphitic surfaces, or S-doped amorphous carbon surfaces from AuMs-1 and AuMs-2, respectively. Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) data suggested strong interactions of gold atoms/nanocrystals with boron in the B/S-doped graphitic matrix. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, also supported the experimental findings, pointing towards strong Au–B bonds, depending on the charge on the Au–(B-graphene) fragment and the presence of further defects in the graphene lattice.

Graphical abstract: Experimental and theoretical evidence for unprecedented strong interactions of gold atoms with boron on boron/sulfur-doped carbon surfaces

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
03 Nov 2023
Accepted
17 Nov 2023
First published
11 Dec 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Nanoscale Adv., 2024,6, 1837-1846

Experimental and theoretical evidence for unprecedented strong interactions of gold atoms with boron on boron/sulfur-doped carbon surfaces

S. Banerjee, J. A. Wolny, M. Danaie, N. P. E. Barry, Y. Han, H. Amari, R. Beanland, V. Schünemann and P. J. Sadler, Nanoscale Adv., 2024, 6, 1837 DOI: 10.1039/D3NA00956D

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements