Physical Chemistry Lab: Synthesis and Modeling of Different Morphologies of Gold Nanoparticles

Sarah WongAdvisor: Hoda Mirafzal

http://nanocomposix.com/collections/gold-spheres

Parts of the lab1. synthesize different sizes of gold

nanospheres

2. synthesize different morphologies of gold nanoparticles

3. model different sizes and shapes in MATLAB

Particle in a Box ConceptE

0

n=1

n=2

n=3

n=4

Lxn=

1

n=2

n=3

n=4

x

E

0 L

El Sayed, M. A. J. Phys. Chem. Letters. 2013, 4, 1541

Change in Spectra as Size Increases

Note the red shift of the absorption maximum as the gold nanoparticles size increases

http://www.cytodiagnostics.com/store/pc/Gold-Nanoparticle-Properties-d2.htm

Different Morphologies of Gold Nanoparticles

TEM images of gold nano particles.

Mirkin, C. A. et.al. Nano. Lett. 2011, 11, 3394El-Sayed, M. A.; Nikoobakht, B. Chem. Matter. 2003, 15, 1957

Spectrophotometer Signatures of Morphologies

http://spie.org/x15074.xml

sphere rod and disk

x

z

y

nanospherequantum confined

in x, y, and z.

nanorods/nanowiresquantum confined

in x and y

nanodisks/nanoplatesquantum confined in the y direction

x

z

y

x

z

y

Experimental Challenges

• aqueous

• room temperature

• reproducible

• fast

• inexpensive

• fancy equipment and glassware not needed

• realistic for an undergrad lab

Our Data

gold nanospheres gold triangular nanodisksand its gold seed (nanospheres)

gold nanorods of 2 sizes anda gold seed (nanospheres)