Facile “Green” Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Function of β‐D‐Glucose‐Stabilized Au Nanocrystals

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Abstract
We present a straightforward, economically viable, and “green” approach for the synthesis and stabilization of relatively monodisperse Au nanocrystals with an average diameter of 8.2 nm (standard deviation, SD=2.3 nm) by using nontoxic and renewable biochemical of β‐D‐glucose and by simply adjusting the pH environment in aqueous medium. The β‐D‐glucose acts both as reducing agent and capping agent for the synthesis and stabilization of Au nanocrystals in the system. The UV/Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction (ED), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were employed to systematically characterize Au nanocrystals synthesized. Additionally, it is shown that these β‐D‐glucose‐stabilized Au nanocrystals function as effective catalyst for the reduction of 4‐nitrophenol in the presence of NaBH4 (otherwise unfeasible if only the strong reducing agent NaBH4 is employed), which was reflected by the UV/Vis spectra of the catalytic reaction kinetics.