In recent years, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have become an area of interest in photothermal cancer therapy. Particle size and shape, in particular, are properties that contribute to their high optical absorbance that leads to a localized heating response. The efficiency and toxicity of the AuNPs depends on shape and size, as well, and nanorods with size less than 5 nm are ideal – their photoefficiency is high, and they are non-toxic. In this study, we explored the seed-mediated synthesis of gold nanorods (GNR) coated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) with diameters less than 10 nm. The CTAB is necessary to insure correct size and shape of the GNRs, but toxicity issues arise in GNRs synthesized with CTAB, so we explored methods of ligand exchange on synthesized GNRs. We used UV-Vis spectroscopy to confirm the synthesis of GNRs and to study the effects on the absorbance of modifying surface functionalization on the GNRs.

Influence of surface functionalization on the photothermal properties of gold nanorods

251st National Meeting (2016)

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