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Generation of new Ag m Te n clusters via laser ablation synthesis using Ag‐Te nano‐composite as precursor. Quadrupole ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Author(s) -
Mawale Ravi Madhukar,
Amato Filippo,
Alberti Milan,
Havel Josef
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.7070
Subject(s) - nanoclusters , chemistry , tellurium , quadrupole ion trap , stoichiometry , silver nanoparticle , analytical chemistry (journal) , laser ablation , mass spectrometry , nanoparticle , laser , nanotechnology , ion trap , inorganic chemistry , materials science , optics , physics , organic chemistry , chromatography
RATIONALE Silver tellurides find applications in the development of infrared detection, imaging, magnetics, sensors, memory devices, and optic materials. However, only a limited number of silver tellurides have been described to date. Laser ablation synthesis (LAS) was selected to generate new Ag‐Te clusters. METHODS Isothermal adsorption was used to study the formation of silver nano‐particles‐tellurium aggregates. Laser desorption ionization quadrupole ion trap time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LDI‐QIT‐TOFMS) was used for the generation and analysis of Ag m Te n clusters. Scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy were used to visualize the structure of materials. The stoichiometry of the generated clusters was determined by computer modeling of isotopic patterns. RESULTS A simple, one‐pot method for the preparation of Ag‐Te nano‐composite was developed and found suitable for LAS of silver tellurides. The LDI of Ag‐Te nano‐composite leads to the formation of 11 unary and 52 binary clusters. The stoichiometry of the 34 novel Ag m Te n clusters is reported here for the first time. CONCLUSIONS LAS with TOFMS detection was proven to be a powerful technique for the generation of silver telluride clusters. Knowledge of the stoichiometry of the generated clusters might facilitate the further development of novel high‐tech silver tellurium nano‐materials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.