Synthetic strategies for generating inorganic nanoparticles with optical, catalytic, and biological importance

Solution-based synthesis methods have been widely used to synthesize nanocrystals as it provides control over the size and shape. As a result of the rapid success of the solution based synthesis methods, new applications have been found for some metallic nanoparticles (e.g. gold nanorods), and metal chalcogenides (e.g.CdS) while showing promising properties. In addition, the synthesis of nanoparticles has extended beyond the metal nanoparticles and metal chalcogenides, with increased attention towards synthesizing metal phosphides due to their potential applications in the semiconductor industry, as magnetic devices, and as catalysts. In the following chapters, synthesis of nanostructures from three different classes of material (gold nanorods, gold phosphides, and cadmium sulfides) will be presented using solution-based approaches while further studying their properties