Photoisomerisation and ligand-controlled reversible aggregation of azobenzene-functionalised gold nanoparticles.

The photochemical behaviour of functionalised gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) carrying azobenzenethiolate-alkylthiolate monolayers was investigated. Repeated trans-cis and cis-trans isomerisation cycles could be performed in all cases with high efficiency. Reversible photoinduced aggregation was observed when azothiolates with long alkyl spacers (≥C7) were combined with short (C5) alkylthiolate coligands. The choice of a coligand thus offers control over the aggregation properties of the nanoparticles.