Titration of gold nanoparticles in phase extraction.

In the organic-aqueous phase transfer process of gold nanoparticles, there are two types of distinctive interfaces involving hydrophilic and hydrophobic ligands, the understanding of which is important for the design of functional nanomaterials for analytical/bioanalytical applications and the control over the nanoparticles' nanoactivity and nanotoxicity in different phases. This report describes new findings of an investigation of the quantitative aspect of ligand ion pairing at the capping monolayer structure that drives the phase extraction of gold nanoparticles. Alkanethiolate-capped gold nanoparticles of 8 nm diameter with high size monodispersity (RSD ∼ 5%) were first derivatized by a ligand place exchange reaction with 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid to form a mixed monolayer shell consisting of both hydrophobic (-CH3) and hydrophilic (-COOH) groups. It was followed by quantitative titration of the resulting nanoparticles with a cationic species (-NR4(+)) in a toluene phase, yielding ion pairing of -NR4(+) and -COO(-) on part of the capping monolayer. Analysis of the phase extraction allowed a quantitative determination of the percentage of ion pairing and structural changes in the capping monolayer on the nanoparticles. The results, along with morphological characterization, are discussed in terms of the interfacial structural changes and their implications on the rational design of surface-functionalized nanoparticles and fine tuning of the interfacial reactivity.