Polydentate disulfides for enhanced stability of AuNPs and facile nanocavity formation

Abstract

Stabilization of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on a unique polydentate disulfide ligand, poly(DSDMA) synthesized by selective polymerization of bis(methacryloyl hydroxyethyl)disulfide (DSDMA), results in 2.2 nm monodisperse AuNPs, which exhibit Coulomb blockade at room temperature. A higher graft density (1.8 chains nm⁻²) of the polydentate ligand results in additional stability in DMF up to one year and competitive exchange against DTT (100 mM) up to 72 h. Crosslinking of the polymer remarkably enhances the thermal stability up to 140 °C for 4 h and also during selective etching by methyl iodide which results in nanocapsules as confirmed by TEM and AFM.