Anisotropic Silver Nanomaterials by Photochemical Reactions: Synthesis and Applications

Silver-based nanoparticles have attracted a broad interest due to their outstanding optical and chemical properties and have been studied for applications in many fields. While different synthetic routes have been explored, photochemical synthesis has attracted a special interest for its limited use of chemicals and ease of control over the shape and size of the nanoparticles. This paper reviews the main factors affecting the synthesis of anisotropic silver nanoparticles, such as irradiation wavelength, pH, etc., and the role of specific key molecules, such as citrate. The paper is structured into different sections depending on how the synthesis is initiated; thus, after the introduction, the photochemical conversion reaction starting from nanoparticles, or seeds, obtained chemically, is covered, followed by reactions from nanoparticles obtained by laser ablation by seedless reactions. After that, the applications proposed for anisotropic nanoparticles obtained by the methods discussed in the previous sections are briefly covered and, finally, the conclusions and the author’s perspectives are given.