Abstract

Nanoparticles are particles more than one dimension smaller than 1 micron. Theoretically, any metal is a candidate to produce metal nanoparticles. However, certain metals are more prone and advantageous for metal nanoparticle synthesis. Hence, herein is presented a conspectus on the field of metal nanoparticles, including the preparation and functionalization of the most representative types of metal nanoparticles, as well as detailed examples on several promising applications with 646 references provided. Some synthetic details on the preparation of some state-of-the-art compounds are given as well.