Colloidal dispersion of metallic nanoparticles: Formation and functional properties

Nanoparticles (NPs), such as nanospheres, nanorods, nanowires, and nanocubes, have attracted extensive attention of material scientists because of their application in many areas of fundamental and technical importance. For example, they can be used to experimentally probe the effects of quantum confinement on electronic, optic, and other related properties [1–3]. They have also been widely exploited for use in manufacturing electronic, photonic, and sensing devices [4–6]. The intrinsic properties of a metal NP are mainly determined by its composition, size, and shape [7]. For studying size- and shape-dependent properties, it is highly desirable to synthesize metal nanostructures with well-controlled size and shape [8].