Issue 1, 2020

Manipulating chemistry through nanoparticle morphology

Abstract

We demonstrate that the protonation chemistry of molecules adsorbed at nanometer distances from the surface of anisotropic gold nanoparticles can be manipulated through the effect of surface morphology on the local proton density of an organic coating. Direct evidence of this remarkable effect was obtained by monitoring surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from mercaptobenzoic acid and 4-aminobenzenethiol molecules adsorbed on gold nanostars. By smoothing the initially sharp nanostar tips through a mild thermal treatment, changes were induced on protonation of the molecules, which can be observed through changes in the measured SERS spectra. These results shed light on the local chemical environment near anisotropic colloidal nanoparticles and open an alternative avenue to actively control chemistry through surface morphology.

Graphical abstract: Manipulating chemistry through nanoparticle morphology

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
09 Jul 2019
Accepted
05 Aug 2019
First published
07 Aug 2019
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Horiz., 2020,5, 102-108

Manipulating chemistry through nanoparticle morphology

L. Litti, J. Reguera, F. J. García de Abajo, M. Meneghetti and L. M. Liz-Marzán, Nanoscale Horiz., 2020, 5, 102 DOI: 10.1039/C9NH00456D

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