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Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Gold Nanoparticle Synthesis
Published on: July 10, 2021
Spatially Controlled Occlusion of Polymer-Stabilized Gold Nanoparticles within ZnO
Yin Ning1, Lee A Fielding2, John Nutter3
1Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield, Brook Hill, Sheffield, South, Yorkshire, S3 7HF, UK.
Abstract:
In principle, incorporating nanoparticles into growing crystals offers an attractive and highly convenient route for the production of a wide range of novel nanocomposites. Herein we describe an efficient aqueous route that enables the spatially controlled occlusion of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) within ZnO crystals at up to 20 % by mass. Depending on the precise synthesis protocol, these AuNPs can be (i) solely located within a central region, (ii) uniformly distributed throughout the ZnO host crystal or (iii) confined to a surface layer. Remarkably, such efficient occlusion is mediated by a non-ionic water-soluble polymer, poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)70 (G70 ), which is chemically grafted to the AuNPs; pendent cis-diol side groups on this steric stabilizer bind Zn2+ cations, which promotes nanoparticle interaction with the growing ZnO crystals. Finally, uniform occlusion of G70 -AuNPs within this inorganic host leads to faster UV-induced photodegradation of a model dye.
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