Over the last decade, scientists have ascertained numerous characteristics that make branched gold nanostars invaluable assets in an array of applications ranging from surface-enhanced Raman scattering sensing to photothermal treatment to catalysis. Additionally to being a great asset, nanostars usually have quick reaction times and high reproducibility, all of which make nanostars very beneficial. Due to these benefits, researchers are studying nanostars increasingly. However, gold nanostars have a short history in the field of nanotechnology; hence, scientists have not fully reaped gold nanostars' benefits. More importantly, few researchers have reported green syntheses of gold nanostars with high yield. In this project, we are presenting a green synthesis that is inexpensive, reproducible, and easily adaptive to different demands. Using our strong expertise in plant extracts, we can develop a green synthesis using the reducing power of polyphenols. Until now, we have successfully devised efficient extraction methods, assayed the concentration of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanin in the extracts, created high yield nanostars, and stabilized the stars with cheap ligands in place of the very expensive ligands that is currently used in the field like mPEG thiol. Our current nanostars' synthesis is very fast, usually taking 30 seconds for the whole reaction based on a literature synthesis, and it could be easily adjusted to allow for different results in spike length, molecule diameter, and wavelength of the peak absorption.

Synthesis and characterization of green nanostars

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.