title: Reactions of alkyl-radicals with gold and silver nanoparticles in aqueous solutions.
abstract: Silver and gold nanoparticles are very efficient catalysts for the dimerization of methyl-radicals in aqueous solutions. The rate constants for the reaction of methyl-radicals with the gold and silver nanoparticles were measured and found to be 3.7 x 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) and 1.4 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The results thus suggest that alkyl-radicals, also not reducing ones, are scavenged by these nanoparticles. This might explain the role, if such a role exists, of these nanoparticles in medical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
authors.forename: Tomer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zidki
authors.forename: Haim
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meyerstein
mesh_terms: D000473:Alkanes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000473:Alkanes; D005609:Free Radicals; D012996:Solutions; D014867:Water; D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold