title: Tailoring the synthesis and heating ability of gold nanoprisms for bioapplications.
abstract: The paper describes a novel and straightforward wet-chemical synthetic route to produce biocompatible single-crystalline gold tabular nanoparticles, herein called nanoprisms (NPRs) due to their characteristic shape. Besides the novelty of the method to produce NPRs with an unprecedented high yield, the synthesis avoids the use of highly toxic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the most widely used surfactant for the synthesis of gold anisotropic nanoparticles such as nanorods or nanoprisms. The method presented here allows for tuning the edge length of NPRs in the range of 100-170 nm by adjusting the final concentration/molar ratio of gold salt and reducing agent (thiosulfate), while the thickness of NPRs remained constant (9 nm). Thus, the surface plasmon band of NPRs can be set along the near-infrared (NIR) range. The resulting NPRs were derivatized with heterobifunctional polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 4-aminophenyl β-D-glucopyranoside (glucose) chains to improve their stability and cellular uptake, respectively. The heating properties of colloidal solutions of NPRs upon 1064 nm light illumination were evaluated. As a proof of concept, the biocompatibility and suitability of functional NPRs as photothermal agents were studied in cell cultures. Due to their biocompatibility (avoiding CTAB), ease of production, ease of functionalization, and remarkable heating features, the NPRs discussed herein represent a significant advance in the biocompatibility of nanoparticles and serve as an attractive alternative to those currently in use as plasmonic photothermal agents.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Nanociencia de Aragon (INA), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pelaz
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grazu
authors.forename: Alfonso
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ibarra
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magen
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: del Pino
authors.forename: Jesus M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006358:Hot Temperature; D007834:Lasers; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D013499:Surface Properties; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D006046:Gold