State of the art in gold nanoparticle synthesis

Abstract General principles and recent developments in the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are reviewed. The “ in situ ” Turkevich-Frens and Brust-Schiffrin methods are still major synthetic routes, with citrate and thiolate ligands, respectively, that have been improved and extended to macromolecules including biomacromolecules with a large biomedical potential of optical and theranostic applications. Along this line, however, recently developed seed-growth methods have allowed a precise control of AuNP sizes in a broad range and multiple shapes. AuNPs and core@shell bimetallic MAuNPs loosely stabilized by nitrogen and oxygen atoms of embedding polymers and dendrimers and composite solid-state materials containing AuNPs with supports including oxides, carbons, mesoporous materials and molecular organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted much interest because of their catalytic applications.