[RETRACTED MANUSCRIPT] Characterization of benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide organogel-gold nanoparticles composite

Abstract

Nanoparticles with particle size less than 10 nm have attracted much attention due to their unique properties in
the field of optoelectronics, photovoltaics and catalysis. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are well-known for its wide
range of applications. However, AuNPs tends to agglomerate to form bigger cluster which limit its potential
applications. Meanwhile, benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) has been recognized as a simple and versatile
organic motive for the formation of organogel by supramolecular self-assembly. Therefore, this study reports on
the preparation of well-ordered AuNPs-organogel by doping Au into the co-assembled BTAs organogel. Firstly,
a new organogel with 3-D networks having rectangular arrangement was prepared by mixing the BTAC12 with
BTAC10TEG with a molar ratio of 1:1. The as-synthesised BTAs organogel was then doped with 1%, 3% and 5%
weight percent of 5 nm AuNPs to give AuNPs-organogel composite. The physico-chemical properties of the
AuNPs-organogels were characterized by UV-Vis and Fluorescence spectroscopies, FT-IR and TEM analysis.
Based on TEM analytical data, the organogel with 1% doped AuNPs give a well-ordered and homogenously
distributed AuNPs morphology as compared with the 3% and 5% doped AuNPs. On the other hand, the
photophysical studies of the AuNPs-organogel revealed that as the concentration of AuNPs increased, there was
quenching in the fluorescence emission and SPR intensity. The photophysical studies suggested that an increase
in the loading of AuNPs strongly affected the molecular arrangements of the co-assembled BTAs organogel.