Mesoporous nano/micro noble metal particles: synthesis and applications.

The morphology, size and composition often govern the physical and chemical properties of noble metal units with a size in the nano or micro scale. Thus, the controlled growth of noble metal crystals would help to tailor their unique properties and this would be followed by their practical application. Mesoporous nano/micro noble metal units are types of nanostructured material that have fascinating properties that can generate great potential for various applications. This review presents a general view on the growth mechanisms of porous noble metal units and is focused on recent progresses in their synthetic approaches. Then, their potential applications in the field of drug delivery, cell imaging and SERS substrates, as well as fuel cell catalysts are overviewed.