Exhibition Gallery

Nanomaterials exhibit unique interactions with light not observed in the same material at a larger length-scale. We are familiar with gold as a shiny, yellow metal, but a solution of gold nanoparticles appears as a red color. The exact color of this solution depends on the size and shape of the nanoparticles. Thus simply by observing the color of the solution, we can detect differences in nanoparticle size and shape with our naked eye. This artwork displays the results of an experiment to test whether different chemicals can stabilize gold nanoparticles—prevent them from sticking together or “aggregating”—in the presence of increasing amounts of salt.

Screen of Gold Nanoparticle Stability

Nyssa Emerson (graduate student)

Department of Chemistry

Nanomaterials exhibit unique interactions with light not observed in the same material at a larger length-scale. We are familiar with gold as a shiny, yellow metal, but a solution of gold nanoparticles appears as a red color. The exact color of this solution depends on the size and shape of the nanoparticles. Thus simply by observing the color of the solution, we can detect differences in nanoparticle size and shape with our naked eye. This artwork displays the results of an experiment to test whether different chemicals can stabilize gold nanoparticles—prevent them from sticking together or “aggregating”—in the presence of increasing amounts of salt.