Tuning the interparticle distances in self-assembled gold nanoparticle films with their plasmonic responses

Abstract This study presents the fabrication and characterization of imine-functionalized Au nanoparticle (Au NP) film using Poly (ethyleneimine) (PEI) as a reducing and surface stabilizing reagent. The PEI-capped Au NPs can be self-assembled at the water-hexane interface by adding alcohol containing alkanethiol. Furthermore, large-area film made from PEI and alkanethiol-capped Au NPs is produced on a glass substrate with varying interparticle distances that can be controlled by the alkyl chain lengths, ranging from C2 (ethanethiol), C4 (1-butnaethiol), C6 (1-hexanethiol), C8 (1-octanethiol), to C10 (1-decanethiol) at the water-hexane interface. These 2D films show strong collective localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) extinction bands that are tunable via near-field coupling of adjacent Au NPs. Pronounced chain-length-dependent red shifts of the SPR bands have been observed for the PEI-capped Au films. The obtained PEI-capped Au films exhibit distinct interparticle-distance-dependent SERS characteristics.