Room temperature photo-induced deposition of platinum mirrors and nano-layers from simple Pt(II) precursor complexes in water-methanol solutions

Pure platinum mirror-like nano-layers (200-500 nm thick) can reproducibly be deposited onto conductive FTO glass (as well as other substrates) by a remarkably simple photo-induced method at room temperature (20 +/- 3 degrees C) from a simple Pt(II) precursor in aqueous solution. Such Pt mirrors may be prepared by controlled illumination with intense polychromatic white light from a 5 W (4000 K) LED light source of a dilute solution containing 1 mM K-2[PtCl4] precursor salt, dissolved inwater/methanol solutions. By contrast, the use of [PtCl6](2+) as a precursor does not lead to stable Ptmirror formation under similar conditions. Preliminary Pt-195 NMR results indicate that the chemical speciation of the precursor Pt(II) complexes plays a critical role in this photo-induced Pt nano-layer formation.