(Phys.org)—Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland have developed porous 200 nm supraspheres from gold nanoparticles whose surface is functionalized with polyoxometalate leaving groups that allows for dispersion in pure water. The hydrophobic effect promotes the spontaneous adsorption of alkyl and alkylaromatic guests.