Titania-coated metal nanostructures.

The synergistic effect between metal and TiO(2) nanoparticles brings about new, enhanced functionalities for a myriad of applications, ranging from labeling and sensing to catalysis and surface-enhanced Raman scattering. Although extensive work has been done in the preparation of concentric TiO(2)-coated metal nanostructures, current methods for the synthesis of noncentrosymmetric morphologies are still very limited. This Focus review summarizes the various methods used to prepare TiO(2)-coated metal nanostructures, with a particular emphasis on noncentrosymmetric morphologies, their novel plasmonic properties, and their promising applications in the fields of catalysis and photocatalysis.