Physicochemical Properties of Gold Nanoparticles for Skin Care Creams

Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have now been used in skin care creams for several years, with marketed anti-aging, moisturizing, and regenerative properties. Information on the harmful effects of these nanoparticles is lacking, a concern for the use of AuNPs as cosmetic ingredients. Testing AuNPs without the medium of a cosmetic product is a typical method for obtaining this information, which is mainly dependent on their size, shape, surface charge, and dose. As these properties depend on the surrounding medium, nanoparticles should be characterized in a skin cream without extraction from the cream’s complex medium as it may alter their physicochemical properties. The current study compares the sizes, morphology, and surface changes of produced dried AuNPs with a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilizer and AuNPs embedded in a cosmetic cream using a variety of characterization techniques (TEM, SEM, DLS, zeta potential, BET, UV–vis). The results show no observable differences in their shapes and sizes (spherical and irregular, average size of 28 nm) while their surface charges changed in the cream, indicating no major modification of their primary sizes, morphology, and the corresponding functional properties. They were present as individually dispersed nanoparticles and as groups or clusters of physically separated primary nanoparticles in both dry form and cream medium, showing suitable stability. Examination of AuNPs in a cosmetic cream is challenging due to the required conditions of various characterization techniques but necessary for obtaining a clear understanding of the AuNPs’ properties in cosmetic products as the surrounding medium is a critical factor for determining their beneficial or harmful effects in cosmetic products.

The Preparation of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles in Hyaluronic Acid and the Influence of Low-Pressure Plasma Treatment on Their Physicochemical and Microbiological Properties

“…Consequently, one of the main areas of interest for nanotechnology researchers is the advancement of these nanometals in biopolymer carriers. Such research includes the development of active/intelligent packaging [22][23][24], dressings [25], and new formulations of cosmetics, including creams, shampoos, and conditioners [26][27][28]. Nanoparticles of metals embedded within polymer carriers are a captivating field of study, allowing for the advanced properties of metals at the nanoscale to merge with the biocompatible and environmentally sustainable nature of polymers.…”

Recovery Study of Gold Nanoparticle Markers from Lateral Flow Immunoassays

“…Figure 2a shows an in-house-developed USP device [35]. The AuNPs' synthesis process using USP was previously described extensively in many scientific articles [24][25][26]. The main elements of the USP device are the ultrasonic generator, the reactor furnace and a system for nanoparticle collection.…”

“…Collection of the synthesised nanoparticles is carried out with electrostatic filters or liquid washing in collection bottles with stabilising agents [23]. These suspensions can be lyophilised to remove water and make dried particles, which can be used further in various applications where water is undesirable, including medical applications such as drug carriers or antibody conjugates [24,25], cosmetic creams [26] and polymer embedding [27].…”

Natural vs Synthetic Polymers: How Do They Communicate with Cells for Skin Regeneration—A Review

“…In skin repair and regeneration applications, PVP is widely used due to its interesting physicochemical and biological properties, such as its biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, biodegradability, low cytotoxicity, and water solubility at low concentrations as well as good chemical and thermal resistance. Alone, or as biocomposite, it has been used in tissue engineering in the form of hydrogels [148], sponges [149], gels, creams [150], injectable self-healing nanocomposite hydrogels [151], films, electrospun fibers [152], microparticles, nanoparticles, and porous scaffolds.…”