Quartz crystal piezo electrode surface modification for gold nano-particles immobilization

Abstract

In this study silver electrode quartz crystal surfaces were cleaned and modified to immobilize gold nanoparticles. First, the crystal surfaces were cleaned and activated with sodium hydroxide, acetone and methanol. After the cleaning and the activation process, first cysteamine immobilization stage was performed in phosphate buffer (pH=7.0). Glutaraldehyde was used as a spacer arm and immobilized on the electrode surfaces in tetraborate buffer (pH 8.2). After then, second cysteamine immobilization step was achieved. Frequency shift were measured in all of the modification steps. Gold nanoparticles were immobilized on the modified surfaces by self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation, for expanded crystal surface.