Facile synthesis of gold nanoparticles in aqueous acrylamide solution

A method is advanced for preparing gold nanoparticles (NPs) at 50°C in aqueous acrylamide (AAm), which has the dual function of a reducing agent for HAuCl4 and a protective ligand for NPs. Nanoparticles have gold cores with the average size d Au = 20.9 ± 3.6 nm. The growth kinetics of NPs has been studied. Films of NPs have been produced on glass, silica, silicon, and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. The NPs and films have been characterized by UV-Vis and IR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, and atomic-force microscopy.