Anisotropic gold nanoparticles exhibit optical properties that can be tuned by their size and shape. Common anisotropic nanoparticles, such as nanorods or nano-bipyramids, are formed when isotropic seed particles are added to a separate solution of shape-directing agents. In contrast, gold nanostars can be made via a seedless route, where both nucleation and directed growth occur in a one-pot solution. This talk will describe a set of design parameters for manipulating the branch length, branch direction, and overall size of gold nanostars. We will discuss the effects of different synthetic factors, including mechanical agitation, type of Good’s buffer, concentration ratio of precursors, and pH of the growth solution. Moreover, using density gradient centrifugation, we can obtain purer populations of gold nanostars with specific sizes and numbers of branches. Finally, we will discuss specific benefits and applications of the different nanoscale curvature regions of the nanostars.

Controlling and exploiting nanoscale curvature in gold nanostars

254th National Meeting (2017)

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