Tailoring the local structure and electronic property of AuPd nanoparticles by selecting capping molecules

Abstract

Nine AuPd nanoparticle samples selectively capped with tetraoctylphosphonium bromide, primary amine and tertiary amine molecules were studied with the Au L3-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The AuPd mixing patterns were analyzed by comparing the XAS results with the theoretical coordination numbers of 24 AuPd model clusters of varied size, Au concentration, and bimetal mixing pattern. It was found that the use of amines, particularly tertiary amine, produced a more homogeneous AuPd mixing pattern and the Au d-electron density was fine-tunable by tailoring the density of Au–Pd bonds. Mechanisms for the tailored structural and electronic properties of these nanoparticles were proposed.