Surface plasmon modes of gold nanospheres, nanorods, and nanoplates in an organic solvent: Phase-transfer from aqueous to organic media

We present a process for the phase-transfer of gold nanoparticles from an aqueous to an organic medium with normal alkanethiols. This method can be applied not only to large nanospheres (d ∼ 100 nm) but also to anisotropic nanoparticles like nanorods and nanoplates. It allows the comparison of the nanoparticle optical properties when they are dispersed in both aqueous and organic media.

Graphical abstractNanoparticle phase-transfer from aqueous to organic media could be performed by two-step phase-transfer process. First, nanoparticles were entrapped at aqueous–organic interface. Second, the other sides of nanoparticles were coated with alkanethiols by immersing nanoparticle films into alkanethiol organic solution after transferring them onto glass substrates.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (55 K)Download as PowerPoint slideHighlights► LSPR modes of various shapes of Au NPs in an organic medium could be obtained. ► Phase-transfer of metal nanoparticles from aqueous to organic medium was successful. ► LSPR modes of Au nanorods and nanoplates could be observed in an organic medium.