Ionic Liquid Surface Composition Controls the Size of Gold Nanoparticles Prepared by Sputtering Deposition

The sputtering of gold foil onto 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide, or tris(fluoro)tris(perfluoroethane)phosphate ionic liquids (ILs) generates stable and well-dispersed gold nanoparticles (NPs) of 3-5 nm under conditions of 40 mA, 335 V, and 2 Pa Ar work pressure. The size and size distribution of these Au nanoparticles depends on various experimental parameters, particularly the surface composition of the IL and less so the surface tension and viscosity. Under the experimental conditions used here, both nucleation and NP growth seem to occur on the IL surface and the NP size changes with the changes in the IL surface composition, especially with the increase of the fluorinated content. Moreover, the NP size is independent of sputtering time but does depend on the discharge current. When higher discharge currents are used, more gold atoms hit the ionic liquid surface per unit time, changing the kinetics of particle growth on the surface of the IL.