Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Gold Nanobelts

Gold nanobelts were synthesized by the reduction of tetrachloroauric acid with ascorbic acid in the presence of the surfactants cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium dodecylsulfate. The resulting structures have rectangular cross sectional dimensions that are tens of nanometers and lengths that are tens to hundreds of micrometers. We find that the nanobelt yield and resulting structures are very sensitive to temperature which is likely due to the transition of the surfactant solution from wormlike micelles to spherical micelles. The nanobelt crystal structure contains a mixture of face centered cubic and hexagonally close packed lattice phases that can be isolated and examined individually due to the unique nanobelt size and shape.