Kinetically controlled fabrication of gold nanorods and investigation of their thermal stability via in-situ TEM heating

Size controlled CTAB-capped AuNRs with various aspect ratios (ARs) ranging from 1.63±0.13 to 4.12±0.25 were synthesized following a modified seed-mediated method. Their thermal stability was examined by in-situ TEM heating. The results revealed a structural change from rods to spheres with increasing temperature. At lower temperatures < 300ºC, the AR decreased rapidly and, for temperatures >600ºC, particles became increasingly spherical. This behaviour occurred at temperatures lower than the melting point of bulk gold supporting a surface diffusion mechanism with material diffusing from the tips and redepositing at the middle of the rods. The rate of change in AR appeared to increase for thinner AuNRs.