Abstract: Chemical Synthesis and Morphology of Truncated Icosahedral gold Nanoparticles (2011 SACNAS National Conference)

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Hall 1-2 (San Jose Convention Center)

Luis M. Ortiz , School of Science and Technology, Universidad Metropolitana, San Juan, San Juan, PR

Manuel Ramos, PhD , Materials Research and Technology Institute, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, TX

Carmen Rocha , Materials Research and Technology Institute, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, TX

Brenda Torres, PhD , Materials Research and Technology Institute, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, TX

Maryam Zarei, PhD , Materials Research and Technology Institute, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, TX

Russell Chianelli, PhD , Materials Research and Technology Institute, University of Texas, El Paso, El Paso, TX

Chemical synthesis gold nanoparticles (NP) by using gold (III) chloride trihydrate (HAuCl ·3H2O)
and sodium citrate reducing agent in aqueous conditions at 100oC is presented here. Gold
nanoparticles are form by galvanic replacement mechanism (as described by Lee and Messiel). To
understand gold-NP morphology and size, all products were analyzed by field emission gun electron
microscopy techniques, both in scanning and transmission mode (SEM-TEM). Results reflect a
particle size distribution ~ 200 nm with truncated icosahedral shape with fivefold symmetry in
(001)-plane, also as confirmed by computational truncated gold-NP icosahedral model and HRTEM
simulations. Functionalization using a biomaterial and antibacterial test will performed as secondary
step on this research project.