A simple microemulsion based method for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles

The production of gold nanoparticles and nanoplates by enzymatically-synthesized lauroyl glucose, lauroyl fructose and lauroyl ascorbate is described. These emulsifiers formed oil-in-water microemulsions with toluene and the available reducing groups brought about a rapid reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4). Gold nanoparticles could thus be synthesized without the use of an additional reducing agent. Optical images, UV–visible spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectra (SEM–EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the presence of gold nanoparticles, which on further incubation aggregated into nanoplates. This paper thus describes a novel application of the enzymatically-synthesized esters.