Self-Catalyzed, Self-Limiting Growth of Glucose Oxidase-Mimicking Gold

Size and shape of nanoparticles are generally controlled by external influence factors such as reactiontemperature,time,precursor,and/orsurfactantconcentration.Lackofexternalinfluencemayeventually lead to unregulated growth of nanoparticles and possibly loss of their nanoscale properties. Here we report a gold nanoparticle (AuNPs)-based self-catalyzed and self-limiting system that exploits the glucose oxidase-like catalytic activity of AuNPs. Wefind that the AuNP-catalyzed glucose oxidationin situproduces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that induces the AuNPs' seeded growth in the presence of chloroauric acid (HAuCl4). This crystal growth of AuNPs is internally regulatedviatwo negative feedback factors, size-dependent activity decrease of AuNPs and product (gluconic acid)-induced surface passivation, leading to a rapidly self-limiting system. Interestingly, the size, shape, and catalytic activities of AuNPs are simultaneously controlled in this system. We expect that it provides a new method for controlled synthesis of novel nanomaterials, design of "smart" self-limiting nanomedicine, as well as in-depth understanding of self-limiting systems in nature.