Spatially controlled assembly of nanomaterials at the nanoscale

Abstract

A molecular monolayer of 4-nitrothiophenol on gold electrodes is reduced electrochemically when its nitro groups are converted into amino groups by potentiometric scans. The protonated amine with its NH functions can be employed to induce the self-assembly of gold nanoparticles at the surface of the electrodes. The electrochemical reaction and the induced assembly process can be controlled at the nanoscale level on the electrodes with a high degree of selectivity. The technology opens up the possibility of fabricating complex multi-nanomaterial nanostructures on the basis of a two-step electrochemical assembly process. Copyright © 2009 American Scientific Publishers All rights reserved.