Towards thiol functionalization of vanadium pentoxide nanotubes using gold nanoparticles

Template-directed synthesis is a promising route to realize vanadate-based 1-D nanostructures, an example of which is the formation of vanadium pentoxide nanotubes and associated nanostructures. In this work, we report the interchange of long-chained alkyl amines with alkyl thiols. This reaction was followed using gold nanoparticles prepared by the Chemical Liquid Deposition (CLD) method with an average diameter of ∼0.9 nm and a stability of ∼85 days. V2 O5 nanotubes (VOx-NTs) with lengths of ∼2 μm and internal hollow diameters of 20-100 nm were synthesized and functionalized in a Au-acetone colloid with a nominal concentration of ∼ 4 × 1 0- 3 mol dm-3. The interchange reaction with dodecylamine is found only to occur in polar solvents and incorporation of the gold nanoparticles is not observed in the presence of n-decane.

Growth and characterization of anodic Films on InP in KOH and (NH4)2S

The current-voltage characteristics of InP were investigated in (NH4)2S and KOH electrolytes. In both solutions, the observation of current peaks in the cyclic voltammetric curves was attributed to the growth of passivating films. The relationship between the peak currents and the scan rates suggests that the film formation process is diffusion controlled in both cases. The film thickness required to inhibit current flow was found to be much lower on samples anodized in the sulphide solution. Focused ion beam (FIB) secondary electron images of the surface films show that film cracking of the type reported previously for films grown in (NH4)2S is also observed for films grown in KOH. X-ray and electron diffraction measurements indicate the presence of In2O3 and InPO4 in films grown in KOH and In2S3 in films grown in (NH4)2S.