Fig. 1

Characterization of the synthesized AuNSs. a TEM image revealing a monodispersed spherical nanoparticle solution with an average size of 27.1 nm. b UV–VIS optical absorption spectra confirming the size of the AuNSs with the subsequent conjugations with a peak equal to 528 nm (scale bar 50 nm). It shows that no peak shift indicates that no clumping or aggregation of the nanoparticles occurred after each ligand conjugation. c UV-Vis spectra of CPT nanoconjugates at pH=5 with a peak at 340 nm which corresponds to free CPT being released from AuNSs at acidic pH