Synthetic antibacterial agent assisted synthesis of gold nanoparticles: Characterization and application studies

• Published in: The Journal of physics and chemistry of solids Vol. 71; no. 10; pp. 1484 - 1490
• Main Authors: Kumar, S. Ashok, Chang, Yu-Tsern, Wang, Sea-Fue, Lu, His-Chuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2010
• Subjects: A. Nanostructures; A. Thin films; B. Chemical synthesis; C. X-ray diffraction; B. Chemical synthesis; A. Nanostructures; A. Thin films; C. X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0022-3697; 1879-2553
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2010.07.015

In this study, we report synthesis of water-soluble gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs), having an average diameter of ca. ∼20 nm, using ciprofloxacin (CF) as a reducing/stabilizing agent. The synthesized Au-NPs have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX, TEM, UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction and cyclic voltammetry. TEM and SEM combined with EDX analysis confirmed that spherical-shaped Au-NPs were formed. UV–vis spectra of the Au-NPs showed two absorption bands corresponding to the capping agent ciprofloxacin and surface plasmon absorption bands at 274 and 527 nm, respectively. The synthesized Au-NPs are used to modify a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) and its electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties are investigated. The Au-NPs modified electrode showed excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of methanol at +0.33 V in alkaline solution, which was not observed on the unmodified GCE. Further, electrocatalytic reduction of oxygen was also studied using the Au-NPs modified electrode at lower potential. Here, CF was used as a reducing agent for the preparation of Au-NPs dispersion. This Au-NPs dispersion is highly stable, and can be stored for more than three months in air at room temperature.