Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Properties and Applications--A Review.

The past few decades have witnessed significant advances in the development of functionalized gold nanoparticles for applications in various fields such as chemistry, biology, pharmacy and physics. Although it has been more than 150 years since they were first synthesized, extensive research has recently been undertaken to improve or modify gold nanoparticles, thereby opening up opportunities to enhance and optimize their potential and breadth of their applicability. Recently developed methods have allowed a precise control of gold nanoparticle size and the modification of gold nanoparticles with suitable protecting and functionalizing agents, facilitate their applications in different areas such as chemical and biological sensing, imaging and biomedical applications. This review focuses on the recent developments in various methods for the size and shape controlled synthesis of gold nanoparticles, understanding of different properties of gold nanoparticles and their applications in various fields. Particular attention is given to the chemical and biological sensing applications of gold nanoparticles and on the advances in the controlled ordering of gold nanoparticles for creating nanostructures for diverse applications.