Electrodeposition of Metal Nanoclusters

Here we describe the electrodeposition of Au nanoclusters in the 1-2 nm diameter range directly on indium tin oxide coated glass electrodes (glass/ITO) by reduction of Au ionic complexes in the presence of phosphine stabilizers. Anodic stripping voltammetry and UV-vis spectroscopy determines the size and coverage of the Au nanoclusters. The coverage is very large and the voltammetry and UV-vis confirm that the clusters range from less than 1 nm to 2 nm in diameter. The nanoclusters show low temperature and oxidative stability as expected for clusters of this size. They are also highly reactive to exchange with Ag and Cu ions to prepare metal alloy nanoclusters. With high coverage, small size, and ability to tune the metal composition, these clusters have strong potential applications for electrocatalysis related to energy applications.