Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized using several methods. The chosen methods emphasize the importance of the nucleation and growth model based on the competition between the agglomeration of reduced Au clusters and the binding of Au to the capping agent. Among the capping agents used were citrate and thiols. In addition to comparing the AuNPs produced by these methods, the ratios of gold to capping agent were varied in the methods to evaluate the effect on the size of the AuNPs. Samples were characterized via UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Both the intensity of the Mie scattering and the plasmon peak position were used to estimate particle size and confirm reproducibility. The transmission microscopy images were analyzed with ImageJ to obtain a histogram of nanoparticle size distribution. AuNPs were successfully synthesized with the citrate-capped NPs ranging from 2 to 20 nm and the thiol-capped NPs ranging from 2 to 8 nm. For the long term, these gold nanoparticles will be used as model electrochemical catalysts in reactions such as oxygen reduction or carbon monoxide oxidation.

Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles as electrochemical catalysts

2019 Fall National Meeting

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