A facile preparative method for Au-core, block copolymer-shell nanoparticles by UV irradiation of polystyrene-block-poly (2-vinyl pyridine)/HAuCl4 solutions.

The synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by UV irradiation of the solution of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)/HAuCl4 (PS-b-PVP/HAuCl4) complexes was investigated. AuNPs with block copolymer shell structures can be easily generated by simply control of the block copolymer concentration and the loading ratio of the HAuCl4 precursor. The cross-linked block copolymer shell structures were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), contact angle measurement and thermogravimetic analysis (TGA). The obtained AuNPs with copolymer shells are stable in organic solvents and biochemical buffers.