Guest stabilized reverse micelles: On how HAuCl4 converts sodium dodecyl sulfate into a suitable nanoreactor

We present an ion-ion interaction based approach to synthesize tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl4) sodium dodecyl sulphate reverse micelles in toluene, circumventing the limitations posed by bulky, crosslinked ligands. Our study elucidates the micelle formation mechanism, resulting in micelles where the ratio between the amount of encapsulated aqueous phase and the surfactant surpasses the initially injected values. Comprehensive characterization reveals size and structure details using TEM, liquid AFM, and SAXS techniques. Our density-based analysis uncovers an enriched concentration of AuCl4- ions at micellar walls. Additionally, we introduce wet chemical and oxygen plasma methods for well-dispersed Au NP synthesis offering versatile applications in nanotechnology and fundamental physicochemical investigations alike.