Scaffold-organized clusters and electronic devices made using such clusters
View Patent ↗A method for forming arrays of metal, alloy, semiconductor or magnetic nanoparticles is described. An embodiment of the method comprises placing a scaffold on a substrate, the scaffold comprising, for example, polynucleotides and/or polypeptides, and coupling the nanoparticles to the scaffold. Methods of producing arrays in predetermined patterns and electronic devices that incorporate such patterned arrays are also described.
1. A gold nanoparticle, comprising:
exactly 11 gold atoms arranged in a core; and
at least one sulfur-bearing ligand directly bonded to the core, wherein the ligand is a neutral or cationic group and the sulfur is bonded directly to the gold core.
2. The gold nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ligand comprises an aryl group, an unsubstituted alkyl group, an amine group, an ammonium group or a combination thereof.
3. The gold nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ligand comprises a quaternary ammonium group.
4. The gold nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ligand is an alkyl thiol.
5. The gold nanoparticle of claim 4 , wherein the alkyl thiol comprises from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms.
6. The gold nanoparticle of claim 5 , wherein the ligand is octadecanethiol.
7. The gold nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ligand comprises an aryl group.
8. The gold nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the ligand comprises an intercalator.
9. The gold nanoparticle of claim 8 , wherein the ligand comprises a mercaptobiphenyl group.
10. The gold nanoparticle of claim 9 , wherein the ligand is 4-mercaptobiphenyl.
11. A gold nanoparticle, comprising:
exactly 11 gold atoms arranged in a core; and
at least one ligand directly bonded to the gold core, wherein the ligand has the formula —NHR, where R is selected from alkyl groups having 20 or fewer carbon atoms; —SR, where R is selected from the group aryl and aliphatic groups having 20 or fewer carbon atoms; —S—(CH 2 ) x COOH, where x is from about 2 to about 20; —S—(CH 2 ) x OH where x is from about 2 to about 20; the formula —S—(CH 2 ) x NR 2 , where R is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 4 alkyl and x is from about 2 to about 20; —S—(CH 2 ) x NR 3 + , where R is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C4 alkyl and x is from about 2 to about 20; or —S—(CH 2 ) x CONH(CH 2 ) y CH 3 , where x+y is from 1 to about 20.
12. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand is a thiol.
13. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand comprises an aryl group.
14. The gold nanoparticle of claim 13 , wherein the ligand comprises an intercalator.
15. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand comprises an alkene.
16. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand comprises an amine group, ammonium group or both.
17. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand has the formula —SR, and R is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl and alkyl groups having 20 or fewer carbon atoms.
18. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand comprises a hydroxyl group.
19. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the ligand is octadecanethiol, N,N-dimethylamino ethanethiol, or 4-mercaptobiphenyl.
20. The gold nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the gold nanoparticle comprises plural ligands.
21. The gold nanoparticle of claim 20 , comprising from 2 to about 20 ligands.
22. A composition comprising a gold nanoparticle according to claim 11 non-covalently associated with DNA.
23. The composition of claim 22 , wherein at least one ligand of the gold nanoparticle comprises an amine group, an ammonium group, or both.
24. The composition of claim 23 , wherein the ligand comprises an N,N-dimethylamino ethanethiol group.
25. The composition of claim 22 , wherein the DNA is capable of forming an α-helix.
26. The composition of claim 22 , wherein at least one ligand of the gold nanoparticle comprises an aryl group.
27. The composition of claim 26 , wherein the aryl group is an intercalator.
28. The composition of claim 26 , wherein the ligand comprises a 4-mercaptobiphenyl group.
29. The composition of claim 22 , further comprising plural gold nanoparticles non-covalently associated with the DNA.
30. The composition of claim 29 , wherein the plural gold nanoparticles are substantially monodisperse.
31. A gold nanoparticle, comprising:
exactly 11 gold atoms arranged in a core; and
at least one ligand coordinated to the gold core, wherein the ligand has the formula:
—NHR, wherein R is selected from alkyl groups having 20 or fewer carbon atoms, and the nitrogen atom is directly bonded to the gold core;
—SR, wherein R is selected from the group of aryl and aliphatic groups having 20 or fewer carbon atoms, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core;
—S—(CH 2 ) x COOH, wherein x is from about 2 to about 20, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core;
—S—(CH 2 ) x OH wherein x is from about 2 to about 20, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core;
—S—(CH 2 ) x NR 2 , wherein R is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and C 1 -C 4 alkyl and x is from about 2 to about 20, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core;
—S—(CH 2 ) x NR 3 , wherein R is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C4 alkyl and x is from about 2 to about 20, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core; or
—S—(CH 2 ) x CONH(CH 2 ) y CH 3 , wherein x+y is from 1 to about 20, and the sulfur atom is bonded directly to the gold core.