Controlling the aspect ratio of inorganic nanorods and nanowires

Semiconductors and metals exhibit unusual optical, electronic, and magnetic properties on the nanometer scale. Chemists and materials scientists are developing methods to make non-spherical shapes of semiconductors and metals on the nanometer scale. We use a seed-mediated growth approach to make metallic nanorods and nanowires in homogeneous solution. Control of the ratio of metallic spherical seeds to metal salt in the reduction reaction controls the aspect ratio of the resulting rods and wires.