DATE2025.11.25 #Press Releases
Discovery of Three Series of Gold Quantum Needles with Different Terminal Structures
-Anisotropic elongation via fusion reactions of gold nanoclusters-
Summary
A research group led by Professor Tatsuya Tsukuda, Assistant Professor Shinjiro Takano, and graduate students Yuya Hamasaki and Ryota Jonoue (at the time) from the Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, has discovered that when a concentrated solution of a specific gold nanocluster is heated, a sequential fusion reaction occurs, yielding high amounts of needle‐like structures known as quantum needles. These structures consist of stacked triangular Au₃ units that elongate at regular intervals of four layers.
In addition to the previously known series of quantum needles terminated at both ends with tetrahedral Au₄ units, the researchers identified two new series: one terminated by a single Au₃ unit on one end, and another terminated by Au₃ units on both ends. These gold quantum needles strongly absorb near‐infrared light at specific wavelengths ranging from 800 to 2000 nanometers (nm; one nanometer is one billionth of a meter), depending on their length and terminal structure. Owing to these properties, they hold promise for applications in photothermal therapy, bioimaging, and photonic energy conversion.
Figure：Three Series of Gold Quantum Needles with Different Terminal Structures Discovered in This Study
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Journals
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Journal name Journal of the American Chemical SocietyTitle of paper