POLYMER-PROTECTED GOLD CLUSTERS IN SILICA GLASS

Poly (N-vinyl 2-pyrrolidone) (PVP)-protected gold (Au) clusters, incor porated into silica (SiO2) glass by means of a novel sol-gel process, is reported for the first time. UV-VIS and transmission electron micro scopy (TEM) are used to characterize the Au/SiO2 glass. Although the p article size distribution is wide, this method, because of its ease in preparation, could circumvent the difficulties associated with the ea rlier reported procedures (viz., ion implantation, r.f. sputtering, W- irradiation, etc.) and opens a doorway to improve the process with the advent of alkanethiols. Preliminary experiments show that 1-dodecanet hiols could form multiply twinned particles. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.