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Composition, particle size, and near-infrared irradiation effects on optical properties of Au–Au2S nanoparticles

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Abstract

Near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing nanoparticles synthesized by the reduction of tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4) using sodium sulfide (Na2S) exhibited absorption bands at ∼530 nm and at the NIR region of 650−1100 nm. A detailed study on the structure and microstructure of as-synthesized nanoparticles was reported previously. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were found to consist of amorphous AuxS (x = ∼2), mostly well mixed within crystalline Au. In this work, the optical properties were tailored by varying the precursor molar ratios of HAuCl4 and Na2S. In addition, a detailed study of composition and particle-size effects on the optical properties was discussed. The change of polarizability by the introduction of S in the form of AuxS (x = ∼2) had a significant effect on NIR absorption. Also, it was found in this work that exposure of these particles to NIR irradiation using a Nd:YAG laser resulted in loss of the NIR absorption band. Thermal effects generated during NIR irradiation had led to microstructural changes that modified the optical properties of particles.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Singapore-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alliance and by a National University of Singapore (NUS) Academic Research Grant. Gan Moog Chow acknowledges the support of the United States Office of Naval Research. The authors thank Changhai Wang, Yongzhong Zhou, and Xingyu Gao for assistance with data collection at the synchrotron beam line, and acknowledge the support of beam time from the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Taiwan. We also thank Binghai Liu for assistance in TEM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Engineering of Biological and Chemical Systems, Singapore–Massachusetts Institute of Technology Alliance, 117574, Singapore

    Mei Chee Tan, Jackie Y. Ying & Gan Moog Chow

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139, USA

    Jackie Y. Ying

  3. Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 138669, Singapore

    Jackie Y. Ying

  4. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 119260, Singapore

    Gan Moog Chow

Authors
  1. Mei Chee Tan
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  2. Jackie Y. Ying
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Correspondence to Gan Moog Chow.

Appendix: Supporting Information

Appendix: Supporting Information

Composition, particle size and NIR irradiation effects on optical properties of Au-Au2S nanoparticles.

FIG. A1
figure 14

TEM micrographs of particles synthesized with S:Au precursor molar ratios of (a) 0.3, (b) 0.4, (c) 0.5, (d) 0.6, (e) 0.7, (f) 0.8, (g) 0.9, (h) 1.0 and (i) 2.0.

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FIG. A2
figure 15

XRD patterns of particles synthesized with varying S:Au precursor molar ratios.

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FIG. A3
figure 16

Temperature profiles at Au particle surfaces using transient conditions with μAu = (◽) 8 × 104 m−1, (◦) 2 × 105 m−1, (Δ) 4 × 105 m−1.

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FIG. A4
figure 17

(a) Bright-field TEM micrograph and (b) convergent electron beam diffraction pattern of particles before NIR irradiation.

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FIG. A4
figure 18

(a) Bright field TEM micrograph and (b) convergent electron beam diffraction pattern of particles after NIR irradiation.

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Tan, M.C., Ying, J.Y. & Chow, G.M. Composition, particle size, and near-infrared irradiation effects on optical properties of Au–Au2S nanoparticles. Journal of Materials Research 23, 281–293 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0038

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