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Updated: May 14, 2026
Synthesis and Characterization of Amphiphilic Gold Nanoparticles
Published on: July 2, 2019
Removal of molecular adsorbates on gold nanoparticles using sodium borohydride in water
Siyam M Ansar1, Fathima S Ameer, Wenfang Hu
1Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, United States.
Abstract:
The mechanism of sodium borohydride removal of organothiols from gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was studied using an experimental investigation and computational modeling. Organothiols and other AuNP surface adsorbates such as thiophene, adenine, rhodamine, small anions (Br(-) and I(-)), and a polymer (PVP, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)) can all be rapidly and completely removed from the AuNP surfaces. A computational study showed that hydride derived from sodium borohydride has a higher binding affinity to AuNPs than organothiols. Thus, it can displace organothiols and all the other adsorbates tested from AuNPs. Sodium borohydride may be used as a hazard-free, general-purpose detergent that should find utility in a variety of AuNP applications including catalysis, biosensing, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and AuNP recycle and reuse.
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