Practical preparation of size-controlled gold nanoparticles in water

Facile, safe and efficient preparation of stable dispersions of gold nanoparticle from tetrachloroaureic(III) ion is achieved by simultaneous addition of citrate as reductant and sodium 3-mercaptopropionate as stabilizer. No rigorous cleanliness is needed and the reductant is decomposed to CO₂. The particle size can be controlled in the range between 2.3 nm and 10 nm.