Preparation of Polyelectrolyte/Gold Composite Using an Anion Exchange Membrane and the Effect of Counter Ions on Bending Characteristics

A hydrocarbon-type anion exchange membrane was soaked in aqueous sodium tetrachloroaurate (III) solution, and the adsorbed AuCl4- anion complex was reduced by sodium sulfite. With four sequential adsorption/reduction cycles, a fractal-like gold structure was obtained. After the counter ions in the membrane were replaced with various carboxylate ions, a voltage was applied to the membrane, and the current flowing through the membrane and the displacement were measured. The results were discussed in terms of the size of the carboxylate ion and the channel size in the membrane.