Polyamine ligand-mediated self-assembly of gold and silver nanoparticles into chainlike structures in aqueous solution: Towards new nanostructured chemosensors

1D Nanochain formation: The binding ability of a polyamine molecular linker (L)2- bearing different functional groups, which favors the self-assembling of silver (AgNPs) and gold nano-particles (AuNPs) into 1D nanochains in aqueous solution was explored. UV/Vis spectrophotometry and TEM were used to determine time-dependent structural changes associated with these 1D structure formations. Sensing of Hg2+ using AgNPs@ (L) 2- and AuNPs@ (L)2- assemblies was also carried out in aqueous solution. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH& Co. KGaA, Weinheim.