Probing real time gold nanostar formation process using two-photon scattering spectroscopy

We report the growth mechanisms for the formation of 40 nm star shape gold nanocrystals using real time TEM and in situ two-photon scattering technique. The overall process consists of several intermediate steps and these are: the nucleation process for the formation and accumulation of nanoseeds, Ostwald ripening process for the formation of nanoflower and intraparticle ripening process for the formation of the star sharp nanoparticles via nanocrowns. We demonstrates that the real time shape evolution of intermediate colloidal nanoparticles and their number density change can be fully accessed during the synthesis of star shaped gold nanoparticles using time dependent in situ TPS experiment.