pH-dependent color change of colloidal dispersions of gold nanoclusters: Effect of stabilizer

Gold nanoclusters protected by 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA-Au nanoclusters) were prepared by citrate-reduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) in the presence of sodium 3-mercaptopropionate. Color of the dispersions of MPA-Au nanoclusters changed from red to purple by addition of hydrochloric acid and returned from purple to red by addition of an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution., This reversible response can be attributed to synchronized changes between dispersion and ordering of MPA-Au nanoclusters, determined by transmission electron microscopy. Gold nanoclusters protected by poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-Au nanoclusters) were prepared by UV irradiation of an aqueous solution of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate(III) in the presence of poly(sodium acrylate). The pH-dependent spectral change observed for MPA-Au was not observed for PAA-Au. UV-Vis absorption spectra of colloidal dispersions of PAA-Au nanoclusters after addition of hydrochloric acid and an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution were in good agreement with each other, suggesting the stability of PAA-Au nanoclusters to pH change.