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Wednesday, 25th November 2009 (4426 views)

Gold has been used in a new synthesis process that could "revolutionise" the production of nanocrystals used in the medical, electronics and energy sectors, according to reports.

Researchers at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) A*Star labs used tiny gold particles together with other metals and semiconductor crystals to create the microscopic structures.

Typically, nanocrystal synthesis involves metal ions, including gold, being mixed with a reducing agent. This agent donates electrons to the ions, which causes metal atoms to crystallise.

Left unchecked, the crystals develop into larger complexes, so a capping agent is used to limit their size. However, the solution containing the metal ions does not tend to mix well with the liquid needed to dissolve the capping agents. As a result, scientists need a phase transfer agent to move the metal ions across, but these can only be with specific systems.

A*Star's Jun Yang and Jackie Ying got around this problem by using dodecylamine molecules in ethanol solution as a general phase transfer agent. Using this method, they created uniform, stable nanocrystals from gold ions and other metals with 95 per cent efficiency.

The scientists successfully employed the nanocrystals for chemical catalysis and biocompatible fluorescent imaging, AZo Nano noted.

Founded in 2003, the IBN is Singapore's leading life sciences institution.

 

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