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Formation of gold nanoparticles in diblock copolymer micelles with various reducing agents

Kinetic and thermodynamic studies

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Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were prepared by the reduction of HAuCl4 acid incorporated into the polar core of poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) copolymer micelles dissolved in toluene. The formation of Au NPs was controlled using three reducing agents with different strengths: hydrazine (HA), triethylsilane (TES), and potassium triethylborohydride (PTB). The formation of Au NPs was followed by transmission electron microscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). It was found that the strength of the reducing agent determined both the size and the rate of formation of the Au NPs. The average diameters of the Au NPs prepared by reduction with HA, TES, and PTB were 1.7, 2.6, and 8 nm, respectively. The reduction of Au(III) was rapid with HA and PTB. TES proved to be a mild reducing agent for the synthesis of Au NPs. DLS measurements demonstrated swelling of the PS-b-P2VP micelles due to the incorporation of HAuCl4 and the reducing agents. The original micellar structure rearranged during the reduction with PTB. ITC measurements revealed that some chemical reactions besides Au NPs formation also occurred in the course of the reduction process. The enthalpy of formation of Au NPs in PS-b-P2VP micelles reduced by HA was determined.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful for the financial support of the MÖB-DAAD project no. 14.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Supramolecular and Nanostructured Materials Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, University of Szeged, Dóm tér 8, 6720, Szeged, Hungary

    S. Papp, L. Kőrösi & I. Dékány

  2. Deutsches Wollforschungsinstitut (DWI) an der RWTH-Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 8, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    B. Gool, T. Dederichs, P. Mela & M. Möller

  3. Department of Physical Chemistry and Material Sciences, University of Szeged, Aradi vértanúk tere 1, 6720, Szeged, Hungary

    I. Dékány

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  1. S. Papp
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  2. L. Kőrösi
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Correspondence to I. Dékány.

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Papp, S., Kőrösi, L., Gool, B. et al. Formation of gold nanoparticles in diblock copolymer micelles with various reducing agents. J Therm Anal Calorim 101, 865–872 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-009-0570-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-009-0570-x

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