Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles Decorated with Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (Au-MWCNTs) via Cysteaminium Chloride Functionalization

Vu Duc Chinh,Giorgio Speranza,Vu Minh Tan,Nguyen-Tri Phuong,Claudio Migliaresi,Nguyen Van Chuc

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-42055-7

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) decorated CNTs are promising materials for photocatalytics and biosensors. However, the synthesis of AuNPs chemically linked to the walls of MWCNTs is challenging and toxic products such as thionylchloride (SOCl2) or [1-ethyl-3(dimethyl-amino) propyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC) need to be used. This work reports a new approach to prepare gold nanoparticles decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by using cysteaminium chloride via the formation of a Zwitterionic acide-base bond. The grafting process consists of 3 mains steps: oxidation, thiolation and decoration of AuNPs on the surface of MWCNTs. The completion of each step has been verified out by both spectroscopic (Raman, UV-Vis, FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Miscroscopy (SEM). The chemical bonding states of synthesized products have been proven by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Highlights

Metal decorated CNTs can be obtained by various approaches such as physical deposition[20] or wet chemical deposition[21,22]
The effect of chemical oxidation on the structural integrity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids has been firstly investigated by spectroscopic methods
This chemical treatment might lead to shortening and additional defect, generated in the graphitic network of MWCNTs

Summary

Introduction

Metal decorated CNTs can be obtained by various approaches such as physical deposition[20] or wet chemical deposition[21,22]. This work aims to synthesis gold nanoparticles decorated with MWCNTs in which the grafting of hydrosilane (HS) on the oxidized MWCNTs will be carried out by a new approach, using MWCNTs-COO−/+H3N-CH2-CH2-SH zwitterionic reaction This zwitterionic reaction has been done by coupling the negative MWCNTs-COOH– with the positive, primary amine groups of cysteamine via an electrostatic interaction, followed by the decoration of AuNPs on the MWCNTs surface. This approach is simple and cost-effective for the CNTs functionalization and avoids the use of dangerous and toxic chemical agents such as thionylchloride (SOCl2)[33] or [1-ethyl-3(dimethyl-amino) propyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDAC)[34,35]. Sulfuric acid and nitric acid were supplied by Prolabo chemical, VWR International, New York, USA

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Conclusion