Seeded Growth of Monodisperse Gold Nanorods Using Bromide-Free Surfactant Mixtures

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Nano Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/nl400653s· OSTI ID:1211199

Ye, XC; Gao, YZ; Chen, J; Reifsnyder, DC; Zheng, C; Murray, CB

We demonstrate for the first time that monodisperse gold nanorods (NRs) with broadly tunable dimensions and longitudinal surface plasmon resonances can be synthesized using a bromide-free surfactant mixture composed of alkyltrimethylammonium chloride and sodium oleate. It is found that uniform gold NRs can be obtained even with an iodide concentration approaching 100 mu M in the growth solution. In contrast to conventional wisdom, our results provide conclusive evidence that neither bromide as the surfactant counterion nor a high concentration of bromide ions in the growth solution is essential for gold NR formation. Correlated electron microscopy study of three-dimensional structures of gold NRs reveals a previously unprecedented octagonal prismatic structure enclosed predominantly by high index {310} crystal planes. These findings should have profound implications for a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of seeded growth of anisotropic metal nanocrystals.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)
• DOE Contract Number: AR0000123
• OSTI ID: 1211199
• Journal Information: Nano Letters, Journal Name: Nano Letters Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 13; ISSN 1530-6984
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English