title: Analytical separation of Au/Ag core/shell nanoparticles by capillary electrophoresis.
abstract: This paper demonstrates that capillary electrophoresis (CE) can be employed for characterizing the sizes of a series of Au/Ag core/shell nanoparticles (NPs). We effected the CE separation of Au/Ag core/shell NPs using a mixed buffer of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) (40 mM) and 3-(cyclohexylamino)propanesulfonic acid (10 mM) at pH 9.7 and an applied voltage of 20 kV. A linear relationship (R(2)>0.99) existed between the electrophoretic mobilities and the sizes of the Au/Ag core/shell NPs within the diameter range from 25 to 90 nm; the relative standard deviations of these electrophoretic mobilities were <0.9%. From the good correlation between the results obtained by CE and those provided by scanning electron microscopy, we confirmed that this CE method is a valid one for characterizing the sizes of Au/Ag core/shell NP samples. In addition, when the Au/Ag core/shell NPs were separated through CE and detected using an on-line photodiode array detector, this approach allowed the chemical characterization of the NP species. This CE approach should allow the rapid and cost-effective characterization of a number of future nanomaterials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Chemistry, National University of Kaohsiung, No. 700, Kaohsiung University Rd., Nan Tzu District, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan, ROC. fkliu@nuk.edu.tw
authors.forename: Fu-Ken
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming-Huei
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ya-Chuan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tieh-Chi
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary / Q000379:methods*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D012834:Silver; D006046:Gold