Photoisomerisation and Ligand-Controlled Reversible Aggregation of Azobenzene-Functionalised Gold Nanoparticles

Anja Köhntopp, Alexandra Dabrowski, Michal Malicki and Friedrich Temps  

The photochemical behaviour of functionalised gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) carrying azobenzenethiolate–alkylthiolate monolayers was investigated. Repeated trans–cis andcis–trans isomerisation cycles could be performed in all cases with high efficiency. Reversible photoinduced aggregation was observed when azothiolates with long alkyl spacers (≥C₇) were combined with short (C₅) alkylthiolate coligands. The choice of a coligand thus offers control over the aggregation properties of the nanoparticles.

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