Accelerated nanoparticles synthesis in alcohol–water-mixture-based solution plasma

Abstract

An extraordinary high-speed synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was discovered by synthesizing the AuNPs in ethanol–water mixtures using a solution plasma process (SPP). The influence of the ethanol mole fraction (χ_ethanol) in the ethanol–water mixtures on the reduction rate of gold chloride ions to AuNPs under the SPP system was studied. The results indicated that the reaction rate of the AuNPs synthesis exhibited a maximum value (i.e. 35.2 times faster than in a pure water system) at the significant point where the partial molar volumes of ethanol and water changed drastically.