Microporous nanocomposites of Pd and Au nanoparticles via hierarchical self-assembly

Stabilized spherical aggregate of palladium nanoparticles prepared by reduction of palladium acetate in octa(3-aminopropyl)octasilsesquioxane as a rigid template

Spherical aggregates of palladium nanoparticles were produced by stirring palladium(II) acetate with dendritic molecules (i.e., octa(3-aminopropyl)silsesquioxane octahydrochloride (POSS-NH3+) or the amine-terminated G1.0 poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (G1-NH2)) in methanol at room temperature via self-organized spherical templates of Pd(OAc)2 and the dendritic molecule. The mixing ratio of the terminal amino groups of the dendritic molecule and palladium ions (Z=[Pd2+]/[-NH2]) affected the formation of the spherical aggregates of palladium nanoparticles. Maximum Z values with no reduction of palladium ions (the solution remained yellow) were 1.0 for POSS-NH3+ and 1.6 for G1-NH2, respectively. TEM observations suggested that the density of the palladium nanoparticles in the aggregates using POSS-NH3+ as a template was higher than that using G1-NH2. From tapping mode atomic force microscopy, shapes of the aggregates using POSS-NH3+ and G1-NH2 were a spherical form and an oval form on plates, respectively. Increasing the rigidity of the silsesquioxane core of the dendritic molecules increased the stability of the spherical form in the dry state.

Optically transparent conductive network formation induced by solvent evaporation from tin-oxide-nanoparticle suspensions

This investigation describes an optically transparent antistatic film composed of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles dispersed in a polymer matrix, with remarkably improved electrical and optical properties. The film is fabricated on the basis of a synergistic interaction between self-assembling nanoparticles and self-organizing matrix materials. The antistatic property of the film is obtained at ATO concentrations above a threshold value. A scaling analysis of the data yields an extremely low critical concentration (0.0020 volume fraction), which is considerably lower than the value predicted by percolation theory. Microscopic observations of the film have revealed a characteristic microstructure: "single-stranded" chainlike (linear form or fibrous) aggregates consisting of ATO nanoparticles and large ATO-depleted areas. The experiment results suggest that the high optical transparency and the low critical concentration are derived from the characteristic microstructures of the film.