Ligand Desorption and Surface Oxidation Drive Nanoparticle Coalescence in Diffusion-Limited Aggregation.

ABSTRACT: We previously reported that peptides can drive diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into complex, fractal assemblies, but the mechanism behind this behavior remained unclear. In this study, we dissect how surface ligand chemistry governs this process: not merely by mediating interparticle interactions but by enabling structural transformation of the nanoparticle cores themselves. Using a panel of nine ligands spanning phosphine, thiolate, and polyphenol classes, we systematically examine how ligand identity dictates aggregation dynamics, redox behavior, and structural outcomes. Our findings reveal that aromatic phosphine ligands, especially bis(p-sulfonatophenyl)phenylphosphine (BSPP), uniquely promote DLA by facilitating partial ligand desorption and

SUBMITTER: Amer L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12772224 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature