Effects of the reducing agents on morphologies of gold nanoparticles in poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) micelles

The effects of the reducing agents of hydrazine (H₄N ₂), sodium borohydride (NaBH₄), and triethylsilane (C ₆H₁₅Si) on the morphologies of gold nanoparticles in the poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridine) micelle were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), UV/visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). "Cherry" morphology was found in the gold nanoparticles reduced by hydrazine while "raspberry" morphology was found in the gold nanoparticles reduced by sodium borohydride. Hydrazine was more effective in reducing gold nanoparticle in the core of the PS-b-P4VP micelle than sodium borohydride and triethylsilane. The nanoparticles reduced by hydrazine were confined in the core and more regular than those reduced by sodium borohydride and triethylsilane. The possible mechanism leading to these morphological differences was also discussed.