Most of the methods to produce NIR absorbing Au NPs relies on challenging synthesis with several steps and/or seed-mediated approaches with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant, a well-known toxic cationic surfactant. The development of straightforward and scalable synthesis methods of non-cytotoxic Au anisotropic NPs is of the most importance. Herein, we report a straightforward one-pot synthesis of single-crystalline gold nanoprisms that we have called NanoNachos (NNs) due to the characteristic shape they resemble. In a typical synthesis, NNs were prepared by reduction of chloroauric acid by sodium thiosulfate in water at room temperature. While the thickness of NNs remained constant (8 nm), the edge can be tuned from 80-200 nm by adjusting the final concentration/molar ratio of gold salt and reducing agent (sodium thiosulfate). This allows tuning the surface plasmon band of NNs along the NIR range. NNs are shown as non-cytotoxic and efficient nanoheaters for biomedical applications.

One-pot synthesis of gold nanoNachos: Molecular nanoheaters

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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