Plasma-Assisted Synthesis of Surfactant-Free and D-Fructose-Coated Gold Nanoparticles for Multiple Applications

The excellent optical properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) make them promising for numerous applications. Herein, we present a facile synthesis of both surfactant-free ([Formula: see text]) and non-toxic D-fructose (DF)-coated gold nanoparticles ([Formula: see text]) via the plasma–liquid interactions (PLIs) method. Moreover, we demonstrate that both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are potential candidates for trace detection via surface-enhanced Raman scattering ([Formula: see text]) and catalytic degradation of toxic dyes. However, [Formula: see text] have superior [Formula: see text] and catalytic performance compared to the [Formula: see text] due to their surfactant-free nature. Moreover, [Formula: see text] have also been shown to quench the fluorescence of analyte molecules, making their [Formula: see text]-based trace detection more efficient. In particular, [Formula: see text] enhancement of rhodamine 6G ([Formula: see text]) and catalytic reduction of a toxic dye methylene blue ([Formula: see text]) have been explored.