Anchoring Gold Nanoparticles to Gold Surfaces through Nitroxyl Radicals O. Święch, A. Kaim,N. Hrynkiewicz-Sudnik, B. Pałys, R. Bilewicz Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland Abstract This report describes the interaction of the gold surface with nitroxyl radicals that can be the basis of a new method for binding gold nanoparticles to gold substrates The gold surface is separated from the gold nanoparticle layer by thiolated TEMPO radicals in the sandwich-like system. TEMPO derivatives that separate gold electrode from the layer of gold nanoparticles were oriented either to or from electrode. In both cases however nitroxyl radicals play the role of binding units.The sandwich assemblies of both types were studied by cyclic voltammetry, scanning tunneling microscopy and far-infrared reflectance spectroscopy proving high efficiency of the method sincebinding of nanoparticles by means of nitroxylmoiety resulted in higher population of nanoparticles at the electrode surface when compared to the conventional dithiol approach. Introduction There are many reports on constituents of the investigated assemblies containing free or mobile electronsconstructed from gold nanoparticles(NPs) and the gold surface.The stable radical used in this work, TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethypiperidine-1-oxyl radical), and its derivatives have been applied as spin labels (1), spin traps (2), antioxidants (3), mediators in “living/controlled” free radical polymerization (4), catalysts in oxidation processes of primary and secondary alcohols to corresponding aldehydes and ketons (5), and key components for electrode-active organic coatings (6).Systems of gold NPs or plates grafted with organic molecules bearing mobile electrons were proposed as components for various type of switchings and spintronic devises (7,8,9,10,11). So, these interesting technological prospects prompted us to studycomposite systemsthat could combine the functionalities mentioned above. Thus, our aim was to prepare gold nanoparticles (NPs) modified with a TEMPO derivative - alkanethiol mixed monolayer and anchor them to gold electrodes in order to produce sandwich-like composites consisting of two conductive planes separated by an organic linker. ECS Transactions, 35 (25) 39-45 (2011) 10.1149/1.3655509 ©The Electrochemical Society 39 ) unless CC License in place (see abstract). ecsdl.org/site/terms_use address. Redistribution subject to ECS terms of use (see 212.87.3.42 Downloaded on 2014-10-29 to IP