The technological prospects of metal nanoparticles have stimulated intense research over the last three decades into their growth mechanisms, the relationship between their morphology and optical properties, control over surface chemistry, and bottom-up fabrication through self-assembly. Today, it is commonly agreed that without control over the quality of nanoparticles, bottom-up nanofabrication remains a distant goal, as do the deep-tech-based innovative solutions.1 In this seminar, we will discuss the current mechanisms behind the liquid-phase growth of metallic nanoparticles into desired sizes and morphologies.2,3 We will also discuss the importance of controlling surface chemistry, which ultimately determines the fate of nanoparticles in the context of targeted applications. Finally, by identifying the current limitations in colloidal nanofabrication, we aim to answer the question of whether the use of modern tools arising from the digital transition 4,5 can provide a new breath of fresh air in the field, advancing research into precision nanochemistry without compromising scientific integrity.
References
(1) Mirkin, C. A.; et al. 33 Unresolved Questions in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. ACS Nano 2025. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c12854.
(2) Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Winckelmans, N.; Altantzis, T.; Bals, S.; Grzelczak, M.; Liz-Marzán, L. M. High-Yield Seeded Growth of Monodisperse Pentatwinned Gold Nanoparticles through Thermally Induced Seed Twinning. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2017, 139 (1), 107–110. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.6b12143.
(3) Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Grzelczak, M. Expanding Chemical Space in the Synthesis of Gold Bipyramids. Small 2025, 21 (2), 2407735. https://doi.org/10.1002/smll.202407735.
(4) Rao, A.; Grzelczak, M. Revisiting El-Sayed Synthesis: Bayesian Optimization for Revealing New Insights during the Growth of Gold Nanorods. Chem. Mater. 2024, 36 (5), 2577–2587. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.4c00271.
(5) Montaño-Priede, J. L.; Rao, A.; Sánchez-Iglesias, A.; Grzelczak, M. Accelerated Design of Gold Nanoparticles with Enhanced Plasmonic Performance. Sci. Adv. 2025, 11 (33), eadx2299. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adx2299.