Reshaping the metallic surface of a gold nanoshell

Two methods for the controlled reshaping of metal nanoparticles have been investigated: pulsed laser induced reshaping and surfactant-mediated restructuring. The laser induced shape changes of gold nanoshells have been investigated as a function of pulsed laser energy and pulsewidth. The temperature rise of the metal lattice that follows resonant absorption of light by gold nanoshells causes the metallic shell to reshape to a more thermodynamically stable morphology. The precise morphology and optical properties of the irradiated nanoshells for different irradiation regimes was studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy and electron microscopy techniques. The deformation of gold nanoshells in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) has also been investigated. A mechanism for the reshaping of gold by CTAB surfactant molecules has been proposed.