Size controlled synthesis of gold nanoparticles using the martin method

The synthesis of precious metals has gained significant attention in the last 20 years because of their high value and industrial importance. In the field of nanoparticle synthesis, sodium borohydride (SB) has traditionally been acknowledged as a potent reagent for the creation of refined gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Unlocking the full potential of SB in GNPs synthesis has faced challenges, specifically in production instability. This study presents a novel approach to the synthesis of GNPs by introducing the Martin method, incorporating both natural and synthetic polymers—Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) and Chitin. This study also explored the effect of preparation parameters on the character of synthesized GNPs, including the concentrations of HAuCl 4 , the volume ratio of the polymer to the gold precursor, pH levels, temperature, and mixing speed. The result revealed the critical role of the PEG-chitin polymer in achieving uniform GNPs size, which efficiently inhibits the growth process without causing an undue increase in GNPs size, particularly at room temperature. With optimized preparation parameters, this report succeeded in synthesizing GNPs with a narrow particle size distribution, ranging from 5 to 24.2 nm. The protocol followed in this study has the potential to serve biomedical uses (i.e, wound healing and antimicrobial applications) with synthetic GNPs.