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Study of tryptophan assisted synthesis of gold nanoparticles by combining UV–Vis, fluorescence, and SERS spectroscopy

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Abstract

We developed a rapid and non-toxic method for the preparation of colloidal gold nanoparticles (GNPs) by using tryptophan (Trp) as reducing/stabilizing agent. We show that the temperature has a major influence on the kinetics of gold ion reduction and the crystal growth, higher temperatures favoring the synthesis of anisotropic nanoparticles (triangles and hexagons). The as-synthesized nanostructures were characterized by UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fluorescence, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy. The UV–Vis measurements confirmed that temperature is a critical factor in the synthesis process, having a major effect on the shape of the synthesized GNPs. Moreover, fluorescence spectroscopy was able to monitor the quenching of the Trp fluorescence during the in situ synthesis of GNPs. Using Trp as molecular analyte to evaluate the SERS efficiency of as-prepared GNPs at different temperatures, we demonstrated that the Raman enhancement of the synthesized gold nanoplates is higher than that of the gold spherical nanoparticles.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the National University Research Council (CNCSIS) in the frame of the PN-II program (Project No. 477/2008 and Project No 562/2009).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nanobiophotonics Laboratory, Institute for Interdisciplinary Experimental Research, Babes-Bolyai University, Treboniu Laurian 42, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

    Monica Iosin & Simion Astilean

  2. Laboratoire de Spectrométrie Physique, Université Joseph Fourier, CNRS (UMR5588), BP 87, 38402, Saint Martin d’Hères, France

    Patrice Baldeck

Authors
  1. Monica Iosin
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  2. Patrice Baldeck
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  3. Simion Astilean
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Correspondence to Monica Iosin.

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Iosin, M., Baldeck, P. & Astilean, S. Study of tryptophan assisted synthesis of gold nanoparticles by combining UV–Vis, fluorescence, and SERS spectroscopy. J Nanopart Res 12, 2843–2849 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-9869-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-9869-6

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