In one aspect, the present disclosure pertains to methods of making various noble metal nanoprisms, e.g., gold nanoprisms. In various aspects, the methods can comprise incubating, under dark conditions, a growth solution comprising: (a) a plurality of gold seed structures; (b) a gold precursor, and (c) a photocatalytic intermediary, such that during the incubating step multiply-twinned gold seed structures in the growth solution are preferentially enlarged. The disclosed methods can comprise separating the multiply-twinned gold seed structures from the growth solution based upon the size of the gold seed structures to produce an enriched growth solution. In some aspects, the methods comprise irradiating the enriched growth solution to produce the gold nanoprisms. In some aspects, the disclosed nanoprisms comprise silver.

A silver powder containing dendrite silver particles is provided. The dendrite silver particles are in a dendrite shape having one trunk and a plurality of branches branching from the trunk. The thickness of the trunk of the dendrite silver particles is from 10 to 280 nm. The number of the branches per length of the trunk is from 6 to 30 branches/m. The percentage by number of the dendrite silver particles in the whole of silver particles is 50 N % or more. This silver powder is produced by reducing silver ions through electrolysis of an electrolyte solution containing silver ions and hydantoin or a derivative thereof.

In one aspect, the present disclosure pertains to methods of making various noble metal nanoprisms, e.g., gold nanoprisms. In various aspects, the methods can comprise incubating, under dark conditions, a growth solution comprising: (a) a plurality of gold seed structures; (b) a gold precursor, and (c) a photocatalytic intermediary, such that during the incubating step multiply-twinned gold seed structures in the growth solution are preferentially enlarged. The disclosed methods can comprise separating the multiply-twinned gold seed structures from the growth solution based upon the size of the gold seed structures to produce an enriched growth solution. In some aspects, the methods comprise irradiating the enriched growth solution to produce the gold nanoprisms. In some aspects, the disclosed nanoprisms comprise silver.

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate is provided. The SERS substrate includes a transparent substrate and a nanocomposite composition. The nanocomposite composition includes a silver-loaded silica (AgSiO.sub.2) nanocomposite having a silica core and a silver/silica shell disposed around the silica core and a zeolitic material having a nano porous structure. The silver/silica shell contains silver nanoparticles uniformly distributed therein. The AgSiO.sub.2 nanocomposite is uniformly disposed on a surface of the zeolitic material. The nanoparticles of the AgSiO.sub.2 nanocomposite are spherical and have a mean particle size of 100 to 500 nanometers (nm). A method of obtaining a Raman spectrum of a sulfur-containing compound in a mixing composition is also provided.

A method for preparing a metal nanocube with a controlled corner sharpness index includes a step of reacting with a first surfactant and a predetermined surface-protecting agent. A method for preparing a metal nanocube aggregate having a purity of 95% or more includes a step of centrifuging in the presence of a second surfactant. A probe composition includes the metal nanocube or metal nanocube aggregate prepared by the method; and a gold (Au) nanocube having an average edge length of 20 nm or less.

The present disclosure provides for metal nanoparticles, such as gold nanoparticles that have six pointed areas so that the metal nanoparticle resembles a six-pointed star. The distance from opposing points of the six-pointed star is about 400 to 480 nanometers. The present disclosure also provides for a method of making the nanoparticle, where in an aspect, the method is a light-driven synthesis.

Wave-absorbing materials in the form of a nickel-carbon composite that includes a plurality of modified carbon particles, where each of the modified carbon particles includes a nickel nanoparticle core and a carbon layer wrapped on a surface of the nickel nanoparticle core; and a plurality of the modified carbon particles form an octahedral structure. When a high-frequency microwave interacts with the nickel-carbon composite, the composite has a stronger magnetic loss performance due to various magnetic loss characteristics such as natural resonance and eddy current loss of the magnetic nickel nanoparticles. In addition, the carbon layer, as a shell layer, can provide a directional electron migration path in a special octahedral space structure to construct a conductive network.

A new seedless synthesis of anisotropic nanoscale gold nanoflower (AuNF) particles uses bidentate thiolate ligands to protect the nanoparticle surface and a combination of reagents (for example, ligand, ascorbic acid, and hydroxide) to synthesis AuNF with controlled size and anisotropic properties. Compared to prior art gold nanospheres, AuNF produced approximately a 15-fold improvement in a drug delivery assay.

Ruthenium-molybdenum alloy nanoflower particles having a plurality of ruthenium-molybdenum nanosheets, wherein the plurality of ruthenium-molybdenum nanosheets are in a form of a nanoflower useful for the electrochemical synthesis of ammonia; an electrode including the ruthenium-molybdenum alloy nanoflower particles; and methods of preparation and use thereof.

A method to synthesize a silver nanohybrid material. The method includes mixing a nitrate solution with a citrate solution to form silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The method further includes esterifying a first mixture including octadecanoic acid, octadec-9-enoic acid, and octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid with caffeic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst and a solvent to form an unsaturated carboxylic acid mixture including first, second, and third acrylic acid derivatives. The method includes reacting the unsaturated carboxylic acid mixture with ethylene glycol to form a second mixture including first, second, and third ester derivatives. The method further includes mixing the AgNPs with the second mixture to form a third mixture. The method includes evaporating water from the third mixture to form the silver nanohybrid material. The silver nanohybrid material includes a AgNP core covered with the first, second, and third ester derivatives bonded to the AgNP core.