Polymer and Carbon Spheres with an Embedded Shell of Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticle (AuNP)/resin nanosphere composites have been prepared in a novel process where the resin functions as both the host and reducing agent. Electron tomography showed that the AuNPs are organized into a concentric shell fully embedded in the resin nanospheres. Pyrolysis of the composite spheres afforded microporous N-doped carbon nanospheres with a pseudoshell of embedded AuNPs. These new composites with uncapped plasmonic nanoparticles have excellent potential for biomedical, catalysis, energy storage, and sensing applications.