Synthesis of Gold Nanostructures with Controlled Morphologies from AuCl(Oleylamine) Complex

This review article briefly discusses the use of AuCl(oleylamine) complex as a precursor in the facile synthesis of gold nanostructures with controlled morphologies. By controlling the solvent, the added metal nanoparticles, and the reaction temperature, we have successfully prepared spherical gold nanoparticles with an average diameter of 12.7 nm, ultrathin gold nanowires with an average diameter of 1.8 nm, and ultrathin gold nanorods with an average diameter of 2 nm. Gold multipod nanostructures have also been prepared by templating against a self-destructive template of magnetic nanoparticles. In addition to the synthetic protocols, this article also provides a brief account of the mechanism responsible for forming each type of gold nanostructure.