SILVER AND GOLD NANOPARTICLES

Nanotechnology is an integral part of our reality. One can hardly imagine modern life without nanomaterials, which can be found in diverse spheres of human activities ranging from food production and conservation, medicine and biotechnology, to computers, transport, and space exploration. From this point of view, metal nanoparticles (silver and gold) have afforded a suitable platform for the development of efficient multifunctional therapeutic, diagnostic, sensor, anti-bacterial, and release systems. Metal nanoparticles can be easily synthesized, functionalized, and are biocompatible. The possibility of tuning the size and geometry of nanoparticles by a wet chemistry synthesis enables complete control of their optical and physical properties, while through the coating of the nanoparticles' surface it is possible to in_uence their functionality and stability behavior.In this book, readers are introduced to the intriguing world of silver and gold at the nanoscale. In particular, there is a comprehensive overview of the synthetic pathways, of the physical and biochemical features of silver and gold nanoparticles, and of their most recent applications.