Characteristics of Molecularly Modified Metal Nanoparticles

Unique features of molecularly modifies nanoparticles are good for sensing applications and the reason for that are the following properties:

• Large surface area that is useful for analytes adsorption or in catalytic processes
• Simplicity of nanoparticle synthesis, making the fabrication process cost-effective
• Ability to control nanoparticle size distribution enables low noise levels in potential sensors
• Metal nanoparticles are soluble in organic solvents, assuring easy applications to solid state surfaces
• Metal nanoparticles are stable in air, something that may be promising for long time as well as long life operation time
• Ligands on the nanoparticles can be exchanged thus allowing easy engineering if the nanoparticle surface
• They are easy to characterize
• Without molecular capping ligands they have a range of interesting electronic and optical properties – most of which can be utilized for sensing applications