Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 5, 2026

Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis
Published on: July 10, 2021
How Fast Can Thiols Bind to the Gold Nanoparticle Surface?
Amanda Bard1, Rebeca Rondon1, Daniela T Marquez1
1Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Centre for Advanced Materials Research (CAMaR), University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Abstract:
Kinetics of gold nanoparticle surface modification with thiols can take more than one hour for completion. 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin can be used to follow the process by fluorescence spectroscopy and serves as a convenient molecular probe to determine relative kinetics. SERS studies with aromatic thiols further support the slow surface modification kinetics observed by fluorescence spectroscopy. The formation of thiolate bonds is a relatively slow process; we recommend one to two hour wait for thiol binding to be essentially complete, while for disulfides, overnight incubation is suggested.
Related Concept Videos
Preparation and Reactions of Thiols
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
The Equilibrium Binding Constant and Binding Strength
Structure and Nomenclature of Thiols and Sulfides
Ligand Binding Sites
Protein-ligand interactions are quite specific; even though numerous potential ligands surround a cellular protein at any given time, only a particular ligand can bind to that protein. Moreover, a ligand binds only to a dedicated area on the surface of the protein, known as the...
Gene Evolution - Fast or Slow?
In contrast, regions which code...

