Recent advances in polymer protected gold nanoparticles: synthesis, properties and applications

Abstract

The use of various functionalized polymers as stabilizers to design metal core-organic shell hybrid nanoparticle architectures has attracted increasing interest for different applications. The feature article reviews recent reports published from 2004 to the beginning of 2007 on the synthesis of polymer protected gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and also comments their properties and applications.

Coating matters: the influence of coating materials on the optical properties of gold nanoparticles

“…Polymers represent the most diverse and widely employed coating materials for particulate systems, and therefore they are also indispensable in the fabrication of advanced nanoscale materials based on gold nanoparticles [82] . Polymer chains/ layers (grafted/coated) on the surfaces of gold nanoparticles not only enhance their stability, but also confer further functionalities and properties to the nanoparticles, which are characteristic of the nature of the polymer, i.e., of its chemical and physical properties.…”

Hydrogen-assisted fabrication of spherical gold nanoparticles through sonochemical reduction of tetrachloride gold(III) ions in water

“…Unique properties of nanometer-scale metal particles (metal nanoparticles) such as size-and shape-dependent optical, catalytic, magnetic and electronic properties have led to the evolution of nanotechnology [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. Methodology to selectively synthesize metal nanoparticles with a particular size and shape enables rational control the properties of metal nanoparticles.…”

Block copolymer-mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles in aqueous solutions: Segment effect on gold ion reduction, stabilization, and particle morphology

“…Nanometer-scale gold particles (gold nanoparticles) have attracted significant attention in the last couple of decades because of their unique properties that are distinct from bulk gold [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. In addition, the size, shape and assembly of gold nanoparticles are extremely important features because they substantially affect the physical and chemical properties of the nanoparticles.…”

“…The size, shape and assembly of gold nanoparticles are controlled by judicious combination of the capping agents (e.g., alkylthiols, surfactants and polymers) and reducing agents (e.g., NaBH 4 , hydrazine and ascorbic acid). There are a number of reports on the utilization of organic thiols as capping agents for gold nanoparticles including the pioneering work done by Brust et al [12].…”