Ionic liquid-stabilized non-spherical gold nanofluids synthesized using a one-step method.

Ionic liquid (IL)-stabilized non-spherical gold nanofluids have been synthesized by a one-step method in aqueous solution. The whole reaction proceeded in room temperature. In the presence of amino-functionalized ionic liquids, gold nanofluids with long-wave surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption (>600 nm) could be obtained by adopting tannic acid as the reductant. The specific SPR absorption was related to the non-spherical gold nanoparticles including gold triangle, decahedra, and icosahedra nanocrystals. All the nanocrystals were observed by transmission electron microscopy. It was deduced that the formation of non-spherical gold nanofluids was related to the hydroxyls in tannic acid while IL acted as the synthesis template.