Monodispersed and size-controlled multibranched gold nanoparticles with nanoscale tuning of surface morphology.

A novel seed-mediated synthetic route to produce multibranched gold nanoparticles is reported, in which it is possible to precisely tune both their size and nanostructuration, while maintaining an accurate level of monodispersion. The nanoscale control of surface nanoroughness/branching, ranging from small bud-like features to elongated spikes, allows to obtain fine tuning of the nanoparticle optical properties, up to the red and near-IR region of the spectrum. Such anisotropic nanostructures were demonstrated to be excellent candidates for SERS applications, showing significantly higher signals with respect to the standard spherical nanoparticles. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011