Silica-Gold Core-Shell Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Enhanced Catalytic Performance in Hydrogen Peroxide Decomposition

Ikram Ullah Khan ^1*

This study determined the silica-gold core-shell nanoparticles' synthesis and characterization, with their superior catalytic potential for environmental applications.

Abstract

Background: Core-shell nanoparticles, particularly those with a silica core and gold shell, have garnered significant interest due to their tunable optical properties and enhanced catalytic activity. These nanoparticles are promising candidates for applications in environmental catalysis, sensing, and imaging. Methods: This study synthesized silica-gold core-shell nanoparticles using a sol-gel process to form silica cores, followed by functionalization with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and subsequent gold nanoshell deposition. The nanoparticles were characterized using UV/VIS spectrophotometry, zeta potential measurements, particle size distribution analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The catalytic performance was evaluated in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Results: The synthesized nanoparticles exhibited a well-defined core-shell structure, confirmed by a distinct surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak at 520 nm and TEM imaging showing a uniform gold shell of approximately 10 nm thickness. Catalytic testing demonstrated superior performance in hydrogen peroxide decomposition compared to other catalysts, attributed to the high surface area and unique electronic properties of the gold shell. Conclusion: Silica-gold core-shell nanoparticles were successfully synthesized and demonstrated excellent optical and catalytic properties. These findings suggest their potential for applications in environmental catalysis and other fields requiring enhanced catalytic activity. Future studies should aim to optimize synthesis parameters and investigate additional applications.

Keywords: Core-shell nanoparticles, Silica-gold nanoparticles, Catalysis, Surface plasmon resonance, Environmental applications

References

Amendola, V., & Meneghetti, M. (2009). Size evaluation of gold nanoparticles by UV-vis spectroscopy. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 113(11), 4277–4285.

Astruc, D., Lu, F., & Aranzaes, J. R. (2005). Nanoparticles as recyclable catalysts: The frontier between homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 44(48), 7852–7872.

Brinker, C. J., & Scherer, G. W. (1990). Sol-gel science: The physics and chemistry of sol-gel processing. Academic Press.

Chen, C., Zhang, H., & He, S. (2016). Recent advances in silica-gold core-shell nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and applications. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 16(2), 1303-1315. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2016.10495

Chen, X., Liu, Y., Zhang, J., & Liu, R. (2009). Gold nanorods with silica coating: Synthesis, characterization, and application in catalytic hydrogen peroxide decomposition. Catalysis Communications, 10(8), 1246-1250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catcom.2009.02.026

Ferrando, R., Jellinek, J., & Johnston, R. L. (2008). Nanoalloys: From theory to applications of alloy clusters and nanoparticles. Chemical Reviews, 108(3), 845–910.

Gong, J., Li, Y., & Xu, Y. (2009). Functionalization of silica nanoparticles for selective capture of proteins. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 19(9), 1431-1440. https://doi.org/10.1039/B816371F

Gu, H., Xu, K., & Li, X. (2005). Core-shell nanoparticles with fluorescent core and metal shell: Applications in cell imaging and detection. Advanced Materials, 17(24), 2882-2886. https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.200501296

Huang, X., El-Sayed, I. H., & El-Sayed, M. A. (2006). Gold nanoparticles: Optical properties and implementations in cancer diagnosis and photothermal therapy. Journal of Advanced Research, 7(1), 114-128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2006.03.004

Huang, X., Neretina, S., & El-Sayed, M. A. (2015). Gold nanorods: From synthesis and properties to biological and biomedical applications. Advanced Materials, 21(48), 4880–4910.

Jain, P. K., El-Sayed, I. H., & El-Sayed, M. A. (2006). Au nanoparticles target cancer cells: A study of the particle size effect. Nano Letters, 6(4), 717-723. https://doi.org/10.1021/nl052628d

Kelly, K. L., Coronado, E., & Zhao, L. L. (2003). The optical properties of metal nanoparticles: The influence of size, shape, and dielectric environment. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 107(3), 668-677. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp026731y

Khan, Y., Bafakeeh, O. T., & Siddiqui, M. N. (2015). Core-shell nanoparticles: Novel preparation and applications in catalysis. Chemical Reviews, 115(1), 377-400. https://doi.org/10.1021/cr5002695

Kim, C., Lee, J., & Kwon, S. (2013). Core-shell nanoparticles: Novel preparation and applications in catalysis. Nanoscale, 5(23), 11753-11771. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3NR04247D

Liu, W., Zhang, Y., & Wang, M. (2011). Gold nanoparticles: Optical properties and catalytic applications. Journal of Nanomaterials, 2011, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2011/698303

Liz-Marzán, L. M. (2008). Nanometals: Formation and optical properties. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 10(22), 2961-2970. https://doi.org/10.1039/B806151H

Mieszawska, A. J., Jalilian, R., Sumanasekera, G., & Zamborini, F. P. (2013). Metal-decorated gold nanoparticle catalysts for CO oxidation: Importance of metal–support interactions for activity and stability. Chemical Materials, 17(22), 6100–6108.

Mizukoshi, Y., Okuno, H., Masahashi, N., & Tanabe, S. (2015). Synthesis of Au/Ag core-shell nanoparticles by sonochemical and electrochemical methods. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 110(1), 102–106.

Nie, S., & Emory, S. R. (1997). Probing single molecules and single nanoparticles by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Science, 275(5303), 1102-1106. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.275.5303.1102

Niu, X., Li, Y., Na, N., & Ouyang, J. (2013). Review: Catalysis and sensing applications of core-shell nanoparticles. Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 15(1), 1314–1327.

Shi, W., Sahoo, Y., & Swihart, M. T. (2012). Gold nanorods: Synthesis, characterization, and applications in imaging and sensing. Langmuir, 21(4), 1610–1617.

Tao, A., Sinsermsuksakul, P., & Yang, P. (2008). Polyhedral silver nanocrystals with distinct scattering signatures. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 46(1-2), 140–143.

Tian, F., Bonnier, F., Casey, A., Shanahan, A. E., & Byrne, H. J. (2016). Surface enhanced Raman scattering with gold nanoparticles: Effect of particle shape. Analytica Chimica Acta, 837(1), 19–29.

Wang, Z. L., Zhang, X., & Liu, X. (2013). Gold nanoparticles: Synthesis, properties, and applications in catalytic hydrogen peroxide decomposition. Journal of Catalysis, 304, 20-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcat.2013.05.019

Yang, L., Wang, L., & Shi, H. (2006). The role of surface chemistry in the catalytic performance of gold nanoparticles. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 128(46), 14637-14644. https://doi.org/10.1021/ja063711x

Zhang, X., Cai, L., & Zhang, H. (2018). Core-shell nanoparticles in catalysis: A review. Journal of Materials Chemistry A, 6(18), 7738-7757. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TA01680H