Controlled Assembly of Biocompatible Metallic Nanoaggregates Using a Small Molecule Crosslinker

By introducing a capping step and controlling the reaction parameters, assembly of metallic nanoparticle aggregates can be achieved using a small-molecule crosslinker. Aggregates can be assembled from particles of varied size and composition and the size of the aggregates can be systematically adjusted. Following cell uptake of 60 nm aggregates, the aggregates are stable and nontoxic to macrophage cells up to 55 × 10(-3) m Au.