Breakthrough in Nanoparticle Synthesis: ACS Omega Researchers Develop Stable Gold Nanoparticles with Catalytic and Peroxidase-like Activity

Researchers at Abdullah Gul University in Kayseri, Turkey, have made significant advancements in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using a novel method that benefits from both the oxidation of ethanol and the bidentate thiol groups of dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) ligands under photoirradiation. The team, led by Seyma Dadi, demonstrated the rapid formation of stable DHLA@AuNPs and DHLA-Asptm@AuNPs without additional reducing reagents, showcasing the potential of this approach for catalyst and peroxidase-like activity.

Key Takeaways:

• The researchers synthesized stable gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) and DHLA-aspartame (DHLA-Asptm) as reducing and stabilizing agents in a mixture of water/ethanol.
• The novel synthesis method benefited from both the oxidation of ethanol to ethanal and the bidentate thiol groups of DHLA ligands under photoirradiation.
• The AuNPs were characterized using UV-vis spectrophotometry, scanning transmission electron microscopy, zeta potential, and dynamic light scattering.
• The researchers demonstrated the catalytic and peroxidase-like activities of DHLA@AuNPs against 4-nitrophenol and 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine.
• The synthesis method was tested under different pH values and reaction temperatures, and the salt tolerance of DHLA@AuNPs and DHLA-Asptm@AuNPs was evaluated in a series of sodium chloride solutions.
• The research contributes to the development of stable and highly active gold nanoparticles with potential applications in catalysis and sensing.

Statistics:

• The synthesis was performed in a mixture of water/ethanol at room temperature (RT) under photoirradiation in 10 minutes.
• The research examined the formation of DHLA@AuNPs and DHLA-Asptm@AuNPs under different pH values (pH 4-8) and reaction temperatures (10-50°C).
• The salt tolerance of DHLA@AuNPs and DHLA-Asptm@AuNPs was evaluated in a series of sodium chloride solutions with concentrations up to 0.1 M.

Sources:

• Dadi, S., et al. "Benefiting from Both Ethanol Oxidation and Bidentate Thiol Groups of DHLA Ligands under Photoirradiation for Synthesis of Au Nanoparticles With Their Catalytic and Peroxidase Like Activity." ACS Omega, vol. 10, no. 15, 2025, pp. 15484-15492.
• Abdullah Gul University.