Silica-coated metal nanoparticles.

The advanced high-quality synthesis of dense and porous silica-coated nanostructures is enjoying ever-increasing research interests for their important properties and diverse applications, especially for catalytic, controlled release, colorimetric diagnostics, photothermal therapy, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection, and so forth. In this timely Focus Review, we summarize the up-to-date synthesis strategies, improved properties, and emerging applications of silica-coated metal nanoparticles. In particular, the large scale synthesis of silica-coated metal nanoparticles and the recent development of hollowed-out silica-coated metal nanoparticles by silica dissolution are emphasized for new and practical applications.