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Zhou P, Qiao X, Milan DC, Higgins SJ, Vezzoli A, Nichols RJ. Enhanced charge transport across molecule-nanoparticle-molecule sandwiches. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:7176-7183. [PMID: 36810584 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp05525b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The electrical properties of large area molecular devices consisting of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) sandwiched between a double layer of alkanedithiol linkers have been examined. These devices have been fabricated by a facile bottom-up assembly in which an alkanedithiol monolayer is first self-assembled on an underlying gold substrate followed by nanoparticle adsorption and then finally assembly of the top alkanedithiol layer. These devices are then sandwiched between the bottom gold substrates and a top eGaIn probe contact and current-voltage (I-V) curves recorded. Devices have been fabricated with 1,5-pentanedithiol, 1,6-hexanedithiol, 1,8-octanedithiol and 1,10-decanedithiol linkers. In all cases the electrical conductance of the double SAM junctions with GNPs is higher than the corresponding and much thinner single alkanedithiol SAM. Competing models for this enhanced conductance are discussed and it is suggested to have a topological origin arising from how the devices assemble or structure during the fabrication, which gives more efficient cross device electron transport pathways without the GNPs producing short circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Zhou
- Yangzhou Polytechnic Institute, No. 199, Huayang West Road, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China.,Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
| | - X Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
| | - D C Milan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
| | - S J Higgins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
| | - A Vezzoli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
| | - R J Nichols
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown St, Liverpool, L69 7ZD, UK.
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Where to go in electrochemistry? A personal view. J Solid State Electrochem 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10008-020-04760-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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