Facile synthesis of Ag nanocubes and Au nanocages

This protocol describes a method for the synthesis of Ag nanocubes and their subsequent conversion into Au nanocages via the galvanic replacement reaction. The Ag nanocubes are prepared by a rapid (reaction time < 15 min), sulfide-mediated polyol method in which Ag(I) is reduced to Ag(0) by ethylene glycol in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) and a trace amount of Na₂S. When the concentration of Ag atoms reaches supersaturation, they agglomerate to form seeds that then grow into Ag nanostructures. The presence of both PVP and Na₂S facilitate the formation of nanocubes. With this method, Ag nanocubes can be prepared and isolated for use within approximately 3 h. The Ag nanocubes can then serve as sacrificial templates for the preparation of Au nanocages, with a method for their preparation also described herein. The procedure for Au nanocage preparation and isolation requires approximately 5 h.