Surfactant free solution synthesis of metallic nanoclusters toward efficient use of the surfaces and their application in catalysis

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The choice of stabilizer during metal nanoparticle (nanocluster) synthesis is important for controlling the shape, size, and dispersion stability of the nanoparticles. However, the active sites on the nanoparticles surfaces may be blocked by the stabilizing agents used, resulting in a less-than-effective utilization of the surfaces. In this study, surfactant-free solution-based methods of synthesizing gold nanoclusters are described, along with the applications of such nanoparticles in catalysis.Surfactant-free synthesis does not imply truly bare metal nanoparticles synthesis but implies one where the metal nanoparticles are prepared in the absence of additional stabilizing agents such as thiolate and phosphine compounds, surfactants, and polymers. These metal nanoparticles are stabilized by the solvents used such as N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). The results developed in this study are published in a review article in Nanotechnology Reviews (DOI: 10.1515/ntrev-2012-0079).