J. Technology and Education, Vol.19, No.2, pp.43-49, 2012

研究論文

Gold Nanoparticles in Silica-titania Thin Layers Prepared by the Sol-gel Procedure

 

Taku TSUNEISHI and Minahiro OKABAYASHI^*

Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Kochi National College of Technology

(200-1 Monobe, Nankoku, Kochi 783-8508, Japan)

^* moka@ms.kochi-ct.ac.jp

 

(Received May 21, 2012; Accepted July 10, 2012)

 

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles in silica-titania or silica-zirconia thin layers were prepared on glass or silicon substrates by the sol-gel procedure.   Tetraethylorthosilicate, tetrabutyltitanate, tetrabutylzirconate, and a gold complex were employed as raw materials.   The gold complex was prepared from sodium tetrachloroaurate and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane.   The color of the thin layers was altered depending on the compositional ratio of silica-titania or silica-zirconia.   The maximal absorption band was affected by the refractive index of the thin layers.   The thin layers were observed using scanning electron microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy.   Gold particles in the layers were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.   The diameter of the particles was estimated to be from 1 to 20 nm by topography and surface potential images.   The coloration of thin layers is considered be caused by the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles.

 

Keywords: Sol-gel procedure, Gold nanoparticles, Thin layers, Kelvin probe force microscopy (KFM)