Biostabilised icosahedral gold nanoparticles: synthesis, cyclic voltammetric studies and catalytic activity towards 4-nitrophenol reduction

A green and cost-effective biosynthetic approach for the preparation of icosahedral gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using an aqueous leaf extract of Polygonum minus as reducing and stabilising factor is described. The reduction of Au3+ ions to elemental Au rapidly occurred and is completed within 20 minutes at room temperature. The size of the nanoparticles is highly sensitive to the AuCl4-/leaf extract concentration ratio and pH. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction data indicated that the nanoparticles were in a crystalline shape (face-centred cubic), mostly icosahedral and nearly monodispersed with an average size of 23nm. Cyclic voltammetric studies suggested that flavonoids, such as quercetin and myricetin present in the leaf extract had a tendency to donate electrons to Au3+ ions and the formation of elemental Au was possible due to the transfer of electrons from these flavonoids to Au3+ ions. Infrared absorption of the AuNPs and the leaf extract revealed that the oxidised (quinone) form of quercetin and myricetin were presumably the main stabilising agents in the formation of stable nanoparticles. The present biosynthesis of AuNPs was simple, rapid, cost-effective and environmentally friendly. The newly prepared biostabilised icosahedral AuNPs show good catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to 4-aminophenol (4-AP).