One-Step Preparation of Biocompatible Gold Nanoplates with Controlled Thickness and Adjustable Optical Properties for Plasmon-Based Applications

The ability to synthesize plasmonic nanomaterials with well-defined structures and tailorable size is crucial for exploring their potential applications. Gold nanoplates (AuNPLs) exhibit appealing structural and optical properties, yet their applications are limited by difficulties in thickness control. Other challenges include a narrow range of tunability in size and surface plasmon resonance, combined with a synthesis conventionally involving cytotoxic cetyltrimethylammonium (CTA) halide surfactant. Here, a one-step, high-yield synthesis of single-crystalline AuNPLs is developed, based on the combined use of two structure-directing agents, methyl orange and FeBr3, which undergo preferential adsorption onto different crystalline facets of gold. The obtained AuNPLs feature high shape homogeneity that enables mesoscopic self-assembly, broad-range tunability of dimensions (controlled thickness from approximate to 7 to approximate to 20 nm, accompanied by modulation of the edge length from approximate to 150 nm to approximate to 2 mu m) and plasmonic properties. These merits, coupled with a preparation free of CTA-halide surfactants, have facilitated the exploration of various uses, especially in bio-related areas. For example, they are demonstrated as biocompatible photothermal agents for cell ablation in NIR I and NIR II windows. This work paves the way to the innovative fabrication of anisotropic plasmonic nanomaterials with desired attributes for wide-ranging practical applications.