posted on 2023-12-18, 10:13authored byBetul Akkus, Fadime Mert Balci
Bottom-up synthesis of large single-crystalline
gold
microplates
is of key importance to catalysis, nanophotonics, bioengineering,
and plasmonics. However, easy, low-cost, room-temperature, and high-yield
synthesis of large gold microplates with several micrometers in lateral
size and a few tens of nanometers in thickness by using photochemical
synthesis in an open system is still challenging. We herein report
on an easy and cost-effective photochemical synthesis of single-crystalline
gold microplates with lateral sizes up to around 40 μm and tens
of nanometers in thickness in a few hours of reaction time in an open
system containing a lyotropic liquid crystal, which is formed by self-assembly
of 10-lauryl ether in a strong acid, sulfuric acid, along with water.
We have found that by changing the reaction parameters, such as the
reaction time, the concentration of gold ions in the liquid crystal,
etc., the thickness and size of the microplates can be easily controlled.
Most importantly, the liquid crystalline phase is completely preserved
after completion of the photochemical reaction. The microplates can
be easily isolated and transferred to different media such as alcohol
and water for further studies, or they can be immediately used on
a substrate after completion of the reaction. The results obtained
in this study will allow us to understand the growth mechanism of
gold microplates in open systems, and they will find applications
in a variety of critical areas, such as plasmonics, nanophotonics,
and catalysis.