Gold nanonetwork film on the ITO surface exhibiting one-dimensional optical properties

A network of gold nanostructures exhibiting one-dimensional gold nanostructure properties may become a prospective novel structure for optical, electrical and catalytic applications benefited by its unusual characteristics resulting from the collective properties of individual nanostructures in the network. In this paper, we demonstrate a facile method for the formation of high-density gold nanonetwork film on the substrate surface composed of quasi-1D nanoparticles (typically fusiform) with length ca. 10 nm - via reduction of gold ions in the presence of nanoseeds attached surface, binary surfactants of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and hexamethyleneteramine and Ag+ ions. The length of the nanonetworks can be up to ca. 100 nm, which corresponds to the aspect ratio of ca. 10. The quasi-1D gold nanostructures as well as the nanonetworks were found to be sensitive to the binary surfactants system and the Ag+ ions as they can only be formed if all the chemicals are available in the reaction. The nanonetworks exhibit unique 1D optical properties with the presence of transverse and longitudinal surface plasmon resonance absorption. Owing to their peculiar structures that are composed of small quasi-1D nanoparticles, the nanonetworks may produce unusual optical and catalytic properties, which are potentially used in surface-enhanced Raman scattering, catalysis and optical and non-linear optical applications.