Gold nanoparticle formation during bromoaurate reduction by amino acids.
The synthesis and characterization of water-soluble dispersions of gold nanoparticles by the reduction of a potassium tetrabromoaurate precursor solution using the amino acids L-tyrosine, glycyl-L-tyrosine, and L-arginine using alkaline synthesis conditions are reported. The particle sizes determined by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) measurements are found to be inversely proportional to the rate of particle formation, which was determined by time-resolved UV-visible spectrophotometry measurements, and vary very slowly at intermediate gold concentrations and rapidly at the extremes. Dispersions produced with a mixture of the two amino acids glycyl-L-tyrosine and L-tyrosine showed particle sizes and particle size distributions which were directly proportional to the ratio of the two L-amino acids, thus offering the possibility for control over the properties of the gold nanoparticle dispersions.
Bhargava
Suresh K
SK
Advanced Materials and Catalysis Group, School of Applied Sciences (Applied Chemistry), Science, Engineering and Technology Portfolio, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. suresh.bhargava@rmit.edu.au
Booth
Jamie M
JM
Agrawal
Sourabh
S
Coloe
Peter
P
Kar
Gopa
G
D000596:Amino Acids; D001120:Arginine; D001966:Bromine; D004151:Dipeptides; D017612:Gold Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D014443:Tyrosine; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000596:Amino Acids; D004151:Dipeptides; D017612:Gold Compounds; D014443:Tyrosine; D001120:Arginine; D001966:Bromine