Synthesis of Microsized Gold Plates with Nanometer Thickness via a Simple Solution Route using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane

Abstract

Triangle and hexagonal microsized gold plates with nanometer thickness were synthesized through a simple solution route: mixing an ethanol solution of 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and an aqueous solution of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl₄•4H₂O). The prepared gold plates were single crystal, and the size of gold plates was changed from submicrometers to several tens of micrometers depending on the conditions after mixing. We also examined the products obtained when 1-hexadecanethiol (1-HT) or 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) were used instead of MPTMS. It was found that in both the cases gold plate is just a minor product. It is deduced that the methoxy groups as well as thiol group of MPTMS play important roles in formation of gold plates.