Controlled synthesis of anisotropic gold nanoparticles by a simple polyol process and their related optical properties

International audience; The understanding of factors influencing the nucleation and growth of gold nanoparticles for morphological and size control requires a simple and handy synthesis protocol. Gold nanoparticles were prepared by a polyol process using Triethylene glycol (TrEG) or1,3-propanediol (1.3-POD) as a solvent. A whole comparative study emphasized the solvent effect on the nanoparticle shape control. In addition, beside the well known potential of the polyol process to provide biocompatible nanoparticles with a large choice of anisotropic shape, we were able here to decrease their size. Hexagonal and triangular plates of ca. 50 nm and nanocubes of ca. 30 nm were formed, allowing the access of a range of sizes scarcely obtained in a polyol process. These gold nanoparticles might have a large panel of biomedical applications given their plasmonic properties, biocompatibility and stability.