DNA-Templated Ordered Array of Gold Nanorods in One and Two Dimensions

Abstract

Many sensing/catalytic applications in nanotechnology require a programmed assembly of nanospheres/nanorods onto surfaces. The gold nanorods, formed by a seed-mediated, surfactant-assisted synthesis protocol, are stabilized in solution due to surface modification by the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide. DNA-templated self-assembly of gold nanorods with different aspect ratios at different DNA concentration values has been studied using transmission electron microscopy. Under appropriate conditions such as aspect ratio and DNA concentration, gold nanorods assemble into one- and two-dimensional structures. A stable phase of side-by-side supramolecular assemblies was formed, and some of the double-layer assemblies extend to superlattices of nanorods. The resulting guide for designing statistically patterned arrays of nanoparticles suggests the possibility of fabricating spontaneously organized nanoscale devices.