“Sweet” gold nanoparticles with oligosaccharide-modified poly(ethyleneimine)

• Published in: Colloid and polymer science 2008-09, Vol.286 (11), p.1317-1327
• Main Authors: Köth, Anja, Koetz, Joachim, Appelhans, Dietmar, Voit, Brigitte
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Complex Fluids and Microfluidics; Exact sciences and technology; Food Science; Gold; Heating; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Organic polymers; Original Contribution; Particle size; Physical Chemistry; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polyetherimides; Polymer Sciences; Properties and characterization; Soft and Granular Matter; Special properties (catalyst, reagent or carrier); Stabilization; Sweets; Terminals
• ISSN: 0303-402X; 1435-1536
• DOI: 10.1007/s00396-008-1903-1

This paper is focused on the use of oligosaccharide-modified hyperbranched poly(ethyleneimines) (PEI) as reducing and stabilizing agent for the formation of gold nanoparticles. The results show that the secondary amino groups of the PEI as linear units are responsible for the reduction process, and the primary amino groups as terminal units are of relevance for the particle stabilization. With regard to the final size and shape of the gold nanoparticles formed, the amount and type (maltose or maltotriose) of oligosaccharide units and structural parameters of the PEI samples are of importance. The smallest particle size of about 2 nm is obtained from a maltose-modified PEI with an excess of linear units. The size and shape of the polymer-stabilized nanoparticles can be further tuned by changing the solute concentration, the time of heating, as well as the pH value.