Gold nanocluster-coated gold nanorods for simultaneously enhanced photothermal performance and stability

Gold nanorods (GNRs) with unique optical properties are interesting nanomaterials, which have been widely explored in biomedical imaging and photothermal therapies. A GNR-based nanocomposite, which was coated with BSA-stabilized gold nanoclusters (GNCs), was successfully fabricated based on the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged GNCs and the positively charged GNRs. Compared with the un-modified GNRs, this GNC−GNR nanocomposite with a core-satellite structure showed significantly enhanced photothermal performance together with improved shape stability and colloidal stability upon near-infrared irradiation. In addition, BSA as the stabilizer of GNCs can suppress the cytotoxicity of the nanocomposite, which made it well suited for further biological applications.