Fabrication of graphite-encapsulated gold nanoparticles by direct current arc discharge method and their functionalization by radio-frequency ammonia plasma

Abstract

In this paper, we report the synthesis of graphite-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (Au@C NPs) by a direct current (DC) arc discharge method. The fabricated Au@C NPs were characterized using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. It was found that they had a typical diameter of about 20-30nm and were encapsulated with several graphite layers from the HR-TEM images, and that they had typical crystalline structures from the XRD spectrum. The nanoparticles were functionalized using inductively coupled radiofrequency (RF) ammonia plasma. The fabricated and functionalized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the atomic composition and atomic bonding of their modified surface. Results demonstrated that amino groups were introduced onto the surface of the nanoparticles.© 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.