Gold Nanorods (AuNR) have demonstrated a unique facility for the detection of mercury due to their plasmonic properties and the propensity for mercury and gold to form an amalgamation. Prevalent methods for the synthesis of AuNR’s utilize high concentrations of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB).  CTAB was exchanged for polyethylene glycol thiol (PEG) as a capping agent on the AuNR’s resulting in much better stability and a significant increase in both sensitivity and selectivity for detection of mercury (II) over CTAB-coated AuNR’s.  It was discovered that the sensitivity of PEG coated AuNR’s to mercury (II) could be as much as tripled with incubation of the PEG coated AuNR’s.  This increased sensitivity has been attributed to the preferential removal of PEG from the tips of AuNR’s by the formation of a complex between PEG and mercury (II). Removal of surface PEG has the combined effect of lowering the surface stability of the AuNRs as well as exposing more rod surface for mercury adsorption. Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM) analysis has confirmed that this causes increased change of AuNR morphology over the same mercury (II) concentration without PEG removal.<br/>

Surface modification of gold nanorods to enhance the detection of Hg<sup>2+</sup>

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

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Surface modification of gold nanorods to enhance the detection of Hg2+

Surface modification of gold nanorods to enhance the detection of Hg²⁺