Template Synthesis of Nanoparticle Arrays of Gold and Platinum in Mesoporous Silica Films

Mesoporous silica films work as templates to form uniform nanoparticles of Au and Pt. The composite materials form an array of metal nanoparticles (diameter ca. 2.5 nm) in the one-dimensional mesopores (pore diameter 2.7 nm), showing an ordered structure in the TEM observation. The nanoparticles are isolated from the silica film by dissolving with a diluted HF solution, and in the presence of 1-dodecanethiol unsupported Au nanoparticles form a superlattice structure.