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Thursday, 20th November 2008 (1823 views)

Scientists from Rice University have used gold nanoparticles to help develop a technique that could be used to clean up pollutants.

The team created a method of observing how chemicals are broken down using the gold 'nanoshells' that were invented by a Naomi Halas, a nanophotonics pioneer who also worked at Rice.

Nanoshells are approximately 20 times smaller than a red blood cell and have the ability to amplify waves of light.

The team utilised this feature of the gold devices to observe chemical reactions occurring on their surface.

Researcher Michael Wong explained that this allowed the scientists to watch vibrations being created between atoms.

"By watching the way these vibrations change frequency and intensity with time, we can watch how molecules transform into other molecules step by step," he said.

This technique could be used to improve methods of breaking down TCE, a common solvent that is also a pollutant and carcinogen.

The catalytic properties of gold can also be used to convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.

 

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