Synthesis and photocatalytic property of gold nanoparticles by using a series of bolaform Schiff base amphiphiles

Gold nanoparticles were synthesized via a series of bolaform amphiphiles with hydrophilic ethyleneamine spacers and aromatic headgroups at a liquid–liquid interface. By stirring the aqueous solution containing AuCl4− ions with the chloroform solution of bolaform amphiphile, AuCl4− ions were transferred into the organic phase and reduced to gold nanoparticles. Spectral and morphological measurements indicated that these bolaform amphiphiles could serve as both capping and reducing agents. Different gold nanostructures could be obtained depending on the different spacers, headgroups of bolaform amphiphiles and the molar ratios of amphiphile to AuCl4− ions. The photocatalytic properties of as-made gold nanoparticles on the degradation of methyl orange indicated that the substituted groups and molecular structures in the amphiphiles indeed played an important role in changing the sizes of as-made gold nanoparticles and subsequently regulating their catalytic behaviors. The present work gave an original investigation of synthesis and regulation of gold nanostructures by utilizing bolaform amphiphiles with different substituted headgroups and spacers.

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► Gold nanoparticles were synthesized via bolaform amphiphiles at L–L interface.
► Nanostructures are depended on spacer, headgroup and molar ratio of amphiphile to ion.
► Headgroup played an important role in regulating photocatalytic behavior.