Structure and Catalytic Activities of Gold Nanoparticles Protected by Homogeneous Polyoxyethylene Alkyl Ether Type Nonionic Surfactants.

Gold nanoparticles were prepared in aqueous solutions containing four homogeneous polyoxyethylene (EO) alkyl ether type nonionic surfactants: octaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C12EO8), methoxyoctaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C12EO8OMe), ethoxyoctaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C12EO8OEt), and trioxypropylene-octaoxyethylene dodecyl ether (C12EO8PO3). The sizes of obtained gold nanoparticles were almost independent of the terminal group in the EO surfactants; and the average sizes of nanoparticles prepared by surfactants with hydroxy, methoxy, ethoxy, and trioxypropylene terminal groups at [surfactant]:[Au3+] = 1:1 were 5.1 ± 1.2, 8.1 ± 1.4, 6.4 ± 2.1, and 8.6 ± 2.9 nm, respectively. The gold nanoparticles easily aggregated together according to the increasing hydrophobicity of hydroxy < methoxy ethoxy < trioxypropylene terminal groups. Highly stable dispersed nanoparticles were observed with hydroxy group in the EO terminal group. On the other hand, introducing hydrophobic moiety to the hydroxy group resulted in aggregated nanoparticles because of the interaction between the hydrophobic groups of a protective agent for the gold nanoparticles. For the reduction reaction of p-nitrophenol and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging reaction, catalytic activities of the prepared gold nanoparticles decreased by the introduction of methoxy, ethoxy, or trioxypropylene to the hydroxy group of the EO type surfactant. Thus, a significant correlation was observed between the structure of gold nanoparticles and their catalytic activities.