Self-assembly of PEGylated gold nanoparticles with satellite structures as seeds

We report a very simple method for the self-assembly of spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), coated with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), through a slow evaporation process at room temperature. Clusters of particles forming satellite structures may act as seeds for the self-assembly in a crystallization-like process. Based on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images obtained a mechanism for the self-assembly was suggested.