Growth of nickel nanoparticles on an organic self-assembled monolayer template by means of electroless plating

• Electroless plating converted Ni ions into Ni nanoparticles directly.
• A patterned SAM localized the catalyst (Pd), the Ni nanoparticles are patterned.
• The sizes of Ni nanoparticles are tunable from 20 nm to 400 nm.
• Complete Ni metal film can be obtained when the soaking time over 4 h.
• Ni metal film on MBD can be used as the top eclectrode.

A simple and inexpensive technique to fabricate patterned arrays of monodisperse nickel nanoparticles by the reduction of nickel (II) sulfate with sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2) using an organic self-assembled monolayer as a template is reported. Monodisperse nickel nanoparticles on self-assembled monolayer (SAMs) templates of 4-(11-mercaptoundecyl)benzene-1,2-diol (MBD) were prepared by a novel strategy based on a modified electroless nickel-plating method. The size of the Ni nanoparticles was readily tuned from 20 nm to 400 nm, and was dependent on the soaking time and bath conditions during the plating process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses were performed to demonstrate the successful formation of nickel nanoparticles and to confirm the nanoparticle composition. A complete Ni metal film can be obtained when the substrate was soaked in the Ni elecltroless bath over 4 h. Electrical properties of the Au-MBD-Ni were studied via conductive atomic force microscopy (cAFM).

Patterned arrays of monodisperse nickel nanoparticles by the reduction of nickel (II) sulfate with sodium hypophosphite (NaH2PO2) using an organic self-assembled monolayer as a template. The size of the Ni nanoparticles was readily tuned from 20 nm to 400 nm. A complete Ni metal film can be obtained when the substrate was soaked in the Ni elecltroless bath over 4 h. Electrical properties of the Au-MBD-Ni were studied via conductive atomic force microscopy (cAFM).Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide