Synthesis of high purity Au nanobelts via the one-dimensional self-assembly of triangular Au nanoplates

High purity (∼88%) gold nanobelts have been synthesized in the water/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/n-pentanol system created to realize the selective-adsorption of PVP on Au which directs Au to grow in belt form via the one-dimensional (1D) self-assembly of triangular Au nanoplates. These nanobelts present uniform thickness and lateral dimension, large aspect ratio up to 160, unique 60° angle end structure, and double-peak plasmon resonance property. The PVP directed 1D self-assembly method demonstrated here may provide a general route for the shape-selective synthesis of the other 1D functional nanostructures.