Gold nanoparticles are versatile materials for a broad range of applications with well characterized electronic and physical properties. With easily modified surface chemistry, these features have made gold nanoparticles one of the most widely used nanomaterials for academic research and an integral element in point-of-care medical devices and industrial products.

 

Colloidal gold nanoparticles are a highly sought nanomaterial due to the vibrant colors produced by their interaction with visible light. Their unique optoelectronic properties have been used in many applications such as organic photovoltaics, sensory probes, therapeutic agents, drug delivery in biological and medical applications, electronics and catalysis. The optical and electronic properties of gold nanoparticles are tunable by changing the size, shape, surface chemistry, or aggregation state.