Synthesis, properties and applications of one- and two- dimensional gold nanostructures

The controlled synthesis of gold nanocrystals has been the subject of intensive studies for decades because the properties and functions of gold nanomaterials are highly dependent on their particle size, shape, and dimensionality. Especially, anisotropic gold nanocrystals, such as nanowires, nanobelts, nanoplates and nanosheets, have attracted much attention due to their striking properties and promising applications in electronics, catalysis, photonics, sensing and biomedicine. In this review, we will summarize the recent developments of one- dimensional （1D） and two-dimensional （2D） gold nanostructures. Various kinds of synthetic methods for preparation of these 1D and 2D gold nanocrystals will be described. Moreover, we will also briefly introduce the properties and potential applications of these 1D and 2D gold nanocrystals.