A “Tips and Tricks” Practical Guide to the Synthesisof Gold Nanorods

Abstract

This chapter highlights the synthetic aspects that generally remain in the shadows in order to provide the scientific community with a user-friendly guide for the production of gold nanorods. The mechanism behind the formation of gold nanorods is still a matter of much interest because a general mechanistic model would allow us to identify specific guidelines for the design of a synthetic pathway for each nanostructure. Gold nanorod synthesis requires both thermodynamic and kinetic control, which significantly increases the number of parameters that should be taken into account. The historical turning point in the development of efficient nanorod wet synthesis methods was the introduction of the so-called seeded growth protocol, where nucleation is performed separately to prepare the seeds, which are subsequently added to the growth solution for nanorod production. The growth of gold nanorods is characterized in general by a slow kinetics, meaning that several hours are needed to complete particle growth.