Covalent attachment of gold nanoparticles to surfaces and polymeric substrates using UV light

Abstract

Uniform benzophenone-covered AuNP (Bph-AuNP) were prepared in a two-phase ethyl acetate/water reduction of auric acid employing a benzophenone- functionalized disulfide. Upon UV irradiation, the benzophenone carbonyl bond was excited allowing for insertion into a nearby C-H bond and thus a covalent attachment of the AuNP onto a substrate exhibiting C-H bonds. Using this technique, polycarbonate-gold core-shell particles were easily obtained, providing a simple synthetic pathway toward AuNP hybrids with polycondensation polymers. Bph-AuNP were also covalently attached to alkylated silica microspheres or cellulose paper. UV irradiation through a photo mask enabled a photolithographic surface patterning. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.