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Gold Nanoparticles

  • 13 Sep 2025

In September 2025, researchers discovered how common molecules such as amino acids and salts influence the behaviour of gold nanoparticles.

  • This breakthrough could enable more reliable biosensors, advanced drug delivery systems, and improved diagnostic tools.

Key Points

  • Molecular Influence: Scientists studied Guanidine Hydrochloride (a strong laboratory salt) and L-Tryptophan (an amino acid found in proteins linked to relaxation and sleep).
  • Findings: Guanidine Hydrochloride caused rapid nanoparticle clustering, while L-Tryptophan disrupted this process, leading to looser, branched “frustrated aggregation” structures.
  • Mechanism: L-Tryptophan stabilises guanidinium ions, slowing down aggregation and allowing more open, stable structures.
  • Cutting-Edge Technique: The team employed Evanescent Wave Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (EW-CRDS) to monitor real-time changes in nanoparticle behaviour.
  • Significance of Gold Nanoparticles: Widely used in optical technologies due to their interaction with light, gold nanoparticles change colour and optical properties based on whether they remain isolated or form clusters.
  • Challenge of Uncontrolled Clustering: While useful in biosensors and imaging, uncontrolled aggregation has long hindered their applications.