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Updated: Sep 25, 2026

Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis
Published on: July 10, 2021
The effects of microgravity on nanoparticle size distributions generated by the ultrasonic reduction of an aqueous
Justin A Reed1, Andrew Cook, David J Halaas
1Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, 1013 NE 40th Street, Seattle, WA 98105, USA.
Abstract:
A solution of gold chloride was reduced using ultrasound irradiation to prepare metallic gold nanoparticles under conditions of microgravity and normal gravity at sea level. Particle size distributions were measured using TEM analysis. A mean particle diameter of 10 nm was obtained in microgravity while a mean diameter of 80 nm was obtained in the laboratory. Absorbance measurements on the reacted solution found an enhanced reduction rate in the reduction of gold chloride in microgravity compared to that in the laboratory.

