Iodine‐Induced Gold‐Nanoparticle Fusion/Fragmentation/Aggregation and Iodine‐Linked Nanostructured Assemblies on a Glass Substrate

Iodine glue! Spontaneous iodine chemisorption on gold nanoparticles is demonstrated. The concomitant electron injection into gold nanoparticles results in particle fusion, fragmentation, and aggregation, excess KI addition leads to the formation of nanocrystals (see scheme). Surprisingly, iodine-“glued” surface-bound nanostructured assemblies of gold nanoparticles can be constructed on an amino-functionalized solid support by stepwise derivatization with colloidal Au and KI solution.