Adsorption characteristics of thionine on gold nanoparticles

Adsorption characteristics of thionine on gold nanoparticles have been studied by using UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. With the increasing concentration of gold nanoparticles, the absorption peak intensity of H-type dimers of thionine increases continuously, whereas that of monomers of thionine first increases and then decreases. The addition of gold nanoparticles makes the equilibrium between the monomer and H-type dimer forms of thionine move toward the dimer forms. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of thionine on gold nanoparticles is also influenced by temperature. TEM images show that the addition of thionine results in an obvious aggregation, and further support the absorption spectral results. The fluorescence intensity of adsorbed thionine is quenched by gold nanoparticles due to the electronic interaction between thionine molecules and gold nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetric and infrared spectroscopic studies show that the nitrogen atoms of both of the NH2 moieties of thionine strongly bind to the gold nanoparticle surfaces through the electrostatic interaction of thionine with gold nanoparticles. For 15-20 nm particles, the number of adsorbed thionine molecules per gold nanoparticle is about 7.66 x 10(4). Thionine molecules can not only bind to a particle to form a compact monolayer via both of the NH2 moieties, but they can also bind to two particles via their two NH(2) moieties, respectively.     

Observation and Identification of an Atomic Oxygen Structure on Catalytic Gold Nanoparticles

Interactions between oxygen and gold surfaces are fundamentally important in diverse areas of science and technology. In this work, an oxygen dimer structure was observed and identified on gold nanoparticles in catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water. This structure, which is different from isolated atomic or molecular oxygen surface structures, was observed with in situ surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopic measurements and identified with density functional theory calculations. The experimental measurements were performed using monodisperse 5, 50 and 400 nm gold particles supported on silica with liquid‐phase hydrogen and deuterium peroxides at multiple pH values. The calculations show that on surfaces with coordinatively unsaturated gold atoms, two oxygen atoms preferentially share a gold atom with a bond distance of 0.194–0.196 nm and additionally bind to two other surface gold atoms with a larger bond distance of 0.203–0.213 nm, forming an Au‐O‐Au‐O‐Au structure. The formation of this structure depends on reaction rates and conditions.     

Novel synthesis of stable polypyrrole nanospheres using ozone

In this study, a novel and exceedingly simple method for the aqueous synthesis of stable, unagglomerated polypyrrole nanospheres was investigated. The method is template- and surfactant-free and uses only pyrrole monomer, water, and ozone. When the monomer concentration, exposure time to ozone, and temperature were varied, it was determined that the temperature was the critical factor controlling the particle size through particle size measurements via dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From the particle size measurements, a particle size distribution with a number-weighted mean diameter of 73 nm and a standard deviation of 18 nm was achieved. The particles were also investigated using ζ-potential measurements, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis in an effort to determine the identity of the nanoparticles as well as the mechanism by which the nanoparticles are formed and stabilized.     

含稀土铕双功能荧光磁性纳米粒子的制备及性能表征

首先制备了油酸和十一烯酸钠改性的水基磁流体,然后在其存在的情况下,将可聚合的稀土铕配合物单体Eu(AA)3Phen(AA=丙烯酸,phen=邻菲罗啉)与苯乙烯和甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯在过硫酸钾的引发下,进行无皂种子乳液聚合来制备荧光磁性高分子微球。 利用透射电子显微镜和动态光散射粒度仪表征了粒子的形貌及粒径,发现荧光磁性微球具有明显的核-壳结构及较窄的粒径分布;通过红外光谱和X射线衍射分析表征了粒子的化学及晶体结构;通过振动样品磁强计和荧光分光光度计表征粒子的磁性及荧光性能,发现荧光磁性微球具有超顺磁性,其荧光发射光谱在594和619 nm处出现Eu3+的特征荧光发射峰。     

New preparation method of gold nanoparticles on SiO2

It is shown that adsorption of the [Au(en)(2)](3+) cationic complex can be successfully employed for the deposition of gold nanoparticles (1.5 to 3 nm) onto SiO(2) with high metal loading, good dispersion, and small Au particle size. When the solution pH increases (from 3.8 to 10.5), the Au loading in the Au/SiO(2) samples increases proportionally (from 0.2 to 5.5 wt %), and the average gold particle size also increases (from 1.5 to 2.4 nm). These effects are explained by the increase in the amount of negatively charged sites present on the SiO(2) surface, namely, when the solution pH increases, a higher number of [Au(en)(2)](3+) species can be adsorbed. Extending the adsorption time from 2 to 16 h gives rise to an increase in the gold loading from 3.3 to 4.0 wt % and in the average particle size from 1.8 to 2.9 nm. Different morphologies of gold nanoparticles are present as a function of the particle size. Particles with a size of 3-5 nm show defective structure, some of them having a multiple twinning particle (MTP) structure. At the same time, nanoparticles with an average size of ca. 2 nm exhibit defect-free structure with well-distinguishable {111} family planes. TEM and HAADF observations revealed that Au particles do not agglomerate on the SiO(2) support: gold is present on the surface of SiO(2) only as small particles. Density functional theory calculations were employed to study the mechanisms of [Au(en)(2)](3+) adsorption, where neutral and negatively charged silica surfaces were simulated by neutral cluster Si(4)O(10)H(4) and negatively charged cluster Si(4)O(10)H(3), respectively. The calculation results are totally consistent with the suggestion that the deposition of gold takes place according to a cationic adsorption mechanism.     

Phthalocyanine macrocycle as stabilizer for gold and silver nanoparticles

A one-step process was used for the preparation of gold and silver nanoparticles stabilized by an aminophthalocyanine macrocycle. The resultant nanoparticles were characterized by absorption spectra, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The nanoparticles were found to possess relatively narrow size distribution. The gold nanoparticles have an average diameter of ~2 nm, while silver particles have 4–5 nm. Preliminary studies on fluorescence and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy were carried out using these nanoparticles. Fluorescence studies indicate that gold nanoparticles do not quench the fluorescence, while silver nanoparticles do. The stabilized nanoparticles showed enhancement of the Raman signals, thus revealing that they are good substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering studies.     

Quenching of molecular fluorescence on the surface of monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles investigated using place exchange equilibria

The insertion of fluorescently labeled thiols into the protecting self-assembled monolayer on the surface of gold nanoparticles through place exchange reactions and the effects of this insertion on the photophysical properties of the fluorophores are investigated. Analysis of solution-phase fluorescence data using a dynamic equilibrium model yields the equilibrium constant for the place exchange equilibrium, as well as the relative fluorescence brightness of the fluorophores on the particle surface. In all cases we find a significant quenching of the fluorescence, and potential reasons for this quenching are discussed. In the case of these relatively small particles (4.5 nm diameter), the quenching appears to be mainly related to enhanced nonradiative deactivation pathways. The place exchange equilibrium constant reveals a reduced affinity of the fluorescently labeled thiols for insertion into the nonfluorescent alkylthiol monolayer (K(eq) approximately 0.2) compared to unlabeled alkylthiols.     

Binding of chloroquine-conjugated gold nanoparticles with bovine serum albumin

We have conjugated chloroquine, an anti-malarial, antiviral and anti-tumor drug, with thiol-functionalized gold nanoparticles and studied their binding interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. Gold nanoparticles have been synthesized using sodium borohydride as reducing agent and 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid as thiol functionalizing ligand in aqueous medium. The formation of gold nanoparticles was confirmed from the characteristic surface plasmon absorption band at 522 nm and transmission electron microscopy revealed the average particle size to be ~7 nm. Chloroquine was conjugated to thiolated gold nanoparticles by using EDC/NHS chemistry and the binding was analyzed using optical density measurement and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The chloroquine-conjugated gold nanoparticles (GNP-Chl) were found to interact efficiently with BSA. Thermodynamic parameters suggest that the binding is driven by both enthalpy and entropy, accompanied with only a minor alteration in protein's structure. Competitive drug binding assay revealed that the GNP-Chl bind at warfarin binding site I in subdomain IIA of BSA and was further supported by Trp212 fluorescence quenching measurements. Unraveling the nature of interactions of GNP-Chl with BSA would pave the way for the design of nanotherapeutic agents with improved functionality, enriching the field of nanomedicine.     

Preparation of chitosan nanoparticles using methacrylic acid

In this work the preparation of chitosan nanoparticle was investigated using methacrylic acid in different conditions and studied by particle size analyzer, zeta-potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The particle size was dependent on the chitosan concentration used during the preparation method. Nanoparticles with sizes as small as 60 nm were achieved, that can be extremely important for several applications. The nanoparticles solution was also pH-sensitive, due to swelling and aggregation of the nanoparticles. The nanoparticles obtained presented a very homogeneous morphology showing a quite uniform particles size distribution and a rather spherical shape.     

乳液聚合法制备纳米金/聚苯乙烯复合粒子

以氯金酸为前驱体,十二烷基硫醇和硼氢化钠分别作为稳定剂和还原剂,采用相转移法制备了单分散的金纳米粒子.将金纳米粒子通过乳液聚合的方法制备了纳米金/聚苯乙烯复合粒子.通过紫外-可见吸收光谱(UV-Vis)研究了纳米金和纳米金/聚苯乙烯复合粒子的光吸收特性,使用傅立叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和动态光散射(DLS)对产物的组成、晶体结构、形貌、以及粒径进行了表征.结果表明,复合粒子为粒径分布较窄的球形,其中的金纳米粒子为面心立方结构.热失重分析(TGA)说明制备的纳米金/聚苯乙烯复合粒子具有很好的热稳定性.     

Synthesis of highly faceted pentagonal- and hexagonal-shaped gold nanoparticles with controlled sizes by sodium dodecyl sulfate

We report the synthesis of pentagonal- and hexagonal-shaped gold nanoparticles with controlled diameters ranging from 5 to 50 nm. These nanoparticles were prepared by a seeding growth approach. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) molecules served as the capping agent to restrict the particle size. In addition, the formation of highly faceted gold nanoparticles may be facilitated by the possibly ineffective capping interactions between the lamellar micellar structures formed by the SDS molecules and the gold nanoparticles. The crystal structure of the highly faceted particles was found to consist of mostly [111] surfaces as particle size increases, as revealed by both TEM and XRD results.     

Superquenching of SYBRGreen dye fluorescence in complex with DNA by gold nanoparticles

The influence of gold nanoparticles (diameter of about 2.5 nm) on the complex between the SYBRGreen dye and double-stranded DNA in solutions has been investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Strong quenching of dye fluorescence by nanosized gold particles (??superquenching??), characterized by a high Stern-Volmer constant of K _SV ?? 3.3 × 10⁷ L/mol, has been found. The superquenching effect in the test system is explained in terms of contribution of several processes: electron transfer, formation of aggregates of gold nanoparticles involving dye dications, and enhancement of intersystem crossing by a heavy atom (gold atoms of nanoparticles).     

The effect of the particle size on the kinetics of CO electrooxidation on high surface area Pt catalysts

Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRAS), and electrochemical (EC) measurements, platinum nanoparticles ranging in size from 1 to 30 nm are characterized and their catalytic activity for CO electrooxidation is evaluated. TEM analysis reveals that Pt crystallites are not perfect cubooctahedrons, and that large particles have "rougher" surfaces than small particles, which have some fairly smooth (111) facets. The importance of "defect" sites for the catalytic properties of nanoparticles is probed in IRAS experiments by monitoring how the vibrational frequencies of atop CO (nu(CO)) as well as the concomitant development of dissolved CO(2) are affected by the number of defects on the Pt nanoparticles. It is found that defects play a significant role in CO "clustering"on nanoparticles, causing CO to decrease/increase in local coverage, which yields to anomalous redshift/blueshift nu(CO) frequency deviations from the normal Stark-tuning behavior. The observed deviations are accompanied by CO(2) production, which increases by increasing the number of defects on the nanoparticles, that is, 1 < or = 2 < 5 < 30 nm. We suggest that the catalytic activity for CO adlayer oxidation is predominantly influenced by the ability of the surface to dissociate water and to form OH(ad) on defect sites rather than by CO energetics. These results are complemented by chronoamperometric and rotating disk electrode (RDE) data. In contrast to CO stripping experiments, we found that in the backsweep of CO bulk oxidation, the activity increases with decreasing particle size, that is, with increasing oxophilicity of the particles.     

Synthesis, characterization, and self-assembly of protein lysozyme monolayer-stabilized gold nanoparticles

Lysozyme monolayer-protected gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) which are hydrophilic and biocompatible and show excellent colloidal stability (at low temperature, ca. 4 degrees C), were synthesized in aqueous medium by chemical reduction of HAuCl4 with NaBH4 in the presence of a familiar small enzyme, lysozyme. UV-vis spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy characterization of the as-prepared nanoparticles revealed the formation of well-dispersed Au NPs of ca. 2 nm diameter. Moreover, the color change of the Au NP solution as well as UV-vis spectroscopy and TEM measurements have also demonstrated the occurrence of Ostwald ripening of the nanoparticles at low temperature. Further characterization with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and dynamic light scattering indicated the formation of a monolayer of lysozyme molecules on the particle surface. FTIR data also indicated the intactness of the protein molecules coated on Au NPs. All the characterization results showed that the monodisperse Au NPs are well-coated directly with lysozyme. Driven by the dipole-dipole attraction, the protein-stabilized Au NPs self-assembled into network structures and nanowires upon aging under ambient temperature. On the basis of their excellent colloidal stability, controlled self-assembly ability, and biocompatible surface, the lysozyme monolayer-stabilized Au NPs hold great promise for being used in nanoscience and biomedical applications.     

A spectroscopic study of mercury vapor adsorption on gold nanoparticle films

We have modified the surfaces of glass and Si(100) with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxy silane, a fourth generation amine-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimer, and poly(diallydimethyl ammonium chloride) to facilitate adsorption onto colloidal gold particles (average diameter 3, 5, 12, and 22 nm). UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy monitored the adsorption process, which is governed by particle diffusion to the surface. The differences in adsorption to the three adhesion layers as a function of pH are discussed. Mercury vapor was exposed to the gold particle films and quantified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The surface plasmon oscillation of 5-, 12-, and 22-nm particles blue-shifts after exposure to parts-per-million levels of mercury vapor in air. Particle films prepared from the 3-nm gold particles develop a broad peak centered near 530 nm after exposure to mercury vapor. The results demonstrate a novel "litmus" film for mercury vapor.     

Characterization and surface reactivity of ferrihydrite nanoparticles assembled in ferritin

Ferrihydrite nanoparticles with nominal sizes of 3 and 6 nm were assembled within ferritin, an iron storage protein. The crystallinity and structure of the nanoparticles (after removal of the protein shell) were evaluated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). HRTEM showed that amorphous and crystalline nanoparticles were copresent, and the degree of crystallinity improved with increasing size of the particles. The dominant phase of the crystalline nanoparticles was ferrihydrite. Morphology and electronic structure of the nanoparticles were characterized by AFM and STM. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) measurements suggested that the band gap associated with the 6 nm particles was larger than the band gap associated with the 3 nm particles. Interaction of SO2(g) with the nanoparticles was investigated by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and results were interpreted with the aid of molecular orbital/density functional theory (MO/DFT) frequency calculations. Reaction of SO2(g) with the nanoparticles resulted primarily in SO(3)2- surface species. The concentration of SO3(2-) appeared to be dependent on the ferrihydrite particle size (or differences in structural properties).     

Estimation of dielectric function of biotin-capped gold nanoparticles via signal enhancement on surface plasmon resonance

Biotin-capped gold nanoparticles assembled on flat gold with volume fraction f are studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) in order to estimate the dielectric function of the gold nanoparticles based on the Maxwell-Garnett (MG) theory. The complex dielectric function (epsilon',epsilon') of the spherical nanoparticles at three representative wavelengths in the vis-near-IR region, i.e., lambda = 543, 632.8, and 1152 nm, is estimated for a surface homogeneously covered with nanoparticles in order to discuss the wavelength dependence of the dielectric function. The SPR response of a surface covered with particles in 2D aggregates is also analyzed. The experimental SPR curve of the particle aggregates deviates from the theoretical predictions, suggesting dipole interactions between particles.     

Light-induced aggregation of colloidal gold nanoparticles capped by thymine derivatives

The colloid stability of thymine-coated gold nanoparticles under light irradiation as a function of particle size, surface charge, and exposure time was investigated in alkaline, aqueous solutions as well as in a 0.5 vol % of DMF in H(2)O mixture. With increasing exposure to light irradiation at 280 nm, more and more particles coagulated. Light-induced aggregation of colloidal gold nanoparticles was attributed to reorientation of thymine terminal groups tethered on gold particle surfaces. A smaller particle size and negatively charged surface reduced the rate of photodimerization or even inhibited the photoreaction. UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the photodimerization of terminal thymine molecules under 280 nm light irradiation. The reaction kinetics of thymine photodimerization appears to be a combination of first-order reactions, each having different rates, reflecting the inhomogeneity and high curvature of the gold nanoparticle surfaces.     

Structure and Stability of Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized Using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schinus molle</Emphasis> L. Extract

In this work, we exhibited the results of the green synthesis of gold nanoparticles by aqueous extract of Schinus molle L. leaves. The chemical reaction was carried out by varying the plant extract/precursor salt ratio concentration in the aqueous solution. The structural characterization of the nanoparticles was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD analysis showed that the as-synthesized AuNPs have a face-centered cubic structure. SEM and TEM observations indicated that most of the obtained particles have multiple twinning structures (MTP). The synthesized Au-MTP have particle sizes in the range of 10–60 nm, most of them with an average size of about 24 nm. However, triangular Au plate particles were also obtained, having an average size of 180 nm. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy and shows that the functional groups responsible for the chemical reduction of AuNPs are phenolic compounds present in the S. molle L. leaf.     

Analytical performance of molecular beacons on surface immobilized gold nanoparticles of varying size and density

The high quenching efficiency of metal nanoparticles has facilitated its use as quenchers in molecular beacons. To optimize this system, a good understanding of the many factors that influence molecular beacon performance is required. In this study, molecular beacon performance was evaluated as a function of gold nanoparticle size and its immobilization characteristics. Gold nanoparticles of 4 nm, 15 nm and 87 nm diameter, were immobilized onto glass slides. Each size regime offered distinctive optical properties for fluorescence quenching of molecular dyes that were conjugated to oligonucleotides that were immobilized to the gold nanoparticles. Rigid double stranded DNA was used as a model to place fluorophores at different distances from the gold nanoparticles. The effect of particle size and also the immobilization density of nanoparticles was evaluated. The 4 nm and 87 nm gold nanoparticles offered the highest sensitivity in terms of the change in fluorescence intensity as a function of distance (3-fold improvement for Cy5). The optical properties of the molecular fluorophore was of significance, with Cy5 offering higher contrast ratios than Cy3 due to the red-shifted emission spectrum relative to the plasmon peak. A high density of gold nanoparticles reduced contrast ratios, indicating preference for a monolayer of immobilized nanoparticles when considering analytical performance. Molecular beacon probes were then used in place of the double stranded oligonucleotides. There was a strong dependence of molecular beacon performance on the length of a linker used for attachment to the nanoparticle surface. The optimal optical performance was obtained with 4 nm gold nanoparticles that were immobilized as monolayers of low density (5.7 × 10¹¹ particles cm⁻²) on glass surfaces. These nanoparticle surfaces offered a 2-fold improvement in analytical performance of the molecular beacons when compared to other nanoparticle sizes investigated. The principles developed in this study would assist in the design of solid phase molecular beacons using gold nanoparticles.