Real-time single-molecule monitoring and control of nanoparticle formation

Abstract

Methods capable of controlling synthesis at the level of an individual nanoparticle are a key step towards improved reproducibility and scalability in engineering complex nanomaterials. To address this, we combine spatially-patterned activation of the photoreductant sodium pyruvate with interferometric scattering microscopy to achieve fast, label-free monitoring and control of hundreds of gold nanoparticles in real-time. Individual particle growth kinetics are well-described by two-step nucleation autocatalysis model, but with a distribution of individual rate constants that changes with reaction conditions.

Version notes

Corrected error in Figure 4A. Added Supplementary Information document.

Content

Supplementary material

Movie S1
iSCAT imaging of Gold Nanoparticle formation via citrate reduction, corresponding to the data in Figure 1 of the main manuscript.
Supplementary Information
Supplementary Figures and Methods