Article abstract
Nature Materials 3, 482 - 488 (2004)
doi:10.1038/nmat1152
Biological synthesis of triangular gold nanoprisms
S. Shiv Shankar1, Akhilesh Rai1, Balaprasad Ankamwar2, Amit Singh1, Absar Ahmad3 and Murali Sastry1
Abstract
The optoelectronic and physicochemical properties of nanoscale matter are a strong function of particle size. Nanoparticle shape also contributes significantly to modulating their electronic properties. Several shapes ranging from rods to wires to plates to teardrop structures may be obtained by chemical methods; triangular nanoparticles have been synthesized by using a seeded growth process. Here, we report the discovery that the extract from the lemongrass plant, when reacted with aqueous chloroaurate ions, yields a high percentage of thin, flat, single-crystalline gold nanotriangles. The nanotriangles seem to grow by a process involving rapid reduction, assembly and room-temperature sintering of 'liquid-like' spherical gold nanoparticles. The anisotropy in nanoparticle shape results in large near-infrared absorption by the particles, and highly anisotropic electron transport in films of the nanotriangles.
- Materials Chemistry, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune – 411 008, India
- Chemistry Department, Abasaheb Garware College, Pune – 411 004, India
- Biochemical Sciences Division, National Chemical Laboratory, Pune – 411 008, India
Correspondence to: Murali Sastry1 e-mail: sastry@ems.ncl.res.in
MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS
These links to content published by NPG are automatically generated.
RESEARCH
Controlling anisotropic nanoparticle growth through plasmon excitationNature Letters to Editor (02 Oct 2003)
Diameter-selective encapsulation of metallocenes in single-walled carbon nanotubesNature Materials Article (01 Jun 2005)
