Electronic and magnetic properties of ultrathin Au/Pt nanowires

We have reported the synthesis of Au₂₅Pt₇₅ and Au₄₈Pt₅₂ alloyed ultrathin nanowires with average widths of less than 3 nm via a wet chemistry approach at room temperature. Using a combination of techniques, including scanning transmission electron microscopy equipped with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption near-edge structure and extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopies, we identified the stoichiometry- dependent heterogeneous crystalline structures, as well as electronic structures with respect to the charge transfer between Pt and Au within both nanowires. In particular, we observed d-charge depletion at the Au site and the d-charge gain at the Pt site in Au₄₈Pt₅₂ nanowires, which accounted for its ferromagnetic magnetic behavior, in contrast to the paramagnetism and diamagnetism appearing respectively in bulk Pt and Au.