Synthesis and characterization of monodispersed icosahedral Au using spherical aberration correction

Monodisperse icosahedral Au nanoparticles were synthesized using one step protocol. The morphology and structural characteristics of the icosahedral Au nanoparticles with uniform size were studied in detail using ultra-high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) FEG Hitachi S-5500 (0.4 nm at 30 kV) with BF/DF Duo-STEM detector, high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) Jeol JEM-2010F with an accelerating voltage of 200 kV (resolution 0.19 nm point-to-point) and a scanning transmission electron microscope Jeol JEM-ARM200F (STEM) attachment with a spherical aberration corrector. The average size of the icosahedral Au nanoparticles was 10 nm. STEM Cs-corrected images showed the atomic structure of the nanoparticles, oriented mainly on the five and two fold exes. The nanoparticles were also characterized using UV/vis absorption spectrum.