Tug-of-War in Nanoparticles: Competitive Growth of Au on Au−Fe3O4 Nanoparticles

• DOI: 10.1021/nl903077t
• Publication Date: 2009-10-20T20:06:21Z
• Authors: Chao Wang; Yujie Wei; Hongyuan Jiang; Shouheng Sun
• Keywords: Macromolecular Substances; Surface Properties; Molecular Conformation; 02 engineering and technology; Ferric Compounds; 01 natural sciences; Nanostructures; 0104 chemical sciences; Models, Chemical; Elastic Modulus; Materials Testing; Nanotechnology; Gold; Stress, Mechanical; Particle Size; Crystallization; 0210 nano-technology

Mechanical property of dumbbell-like Au−Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated from a synthetic point view by overgrowing Au2 on the Au1−Fe3O4 NPs. The competitive growth preformed NPs induced an interesting "tug-of-war" between and Fe3O4 in formed Au2−Au1−Fe3O4 ternary nanostructure. An interpretation observed phenomena proposed based mechanical analysis stress strain distribution across nanoparticle, which further verified control experiments with particle size tuned.