Ultrathin gold nanosheets formed by photoreduction at the ionic liquid/water interface

Ultrathin, single-crystal line gold nanosheets with thickness of ca. 10nm are successfully obtained in water by photoreduction of Au(OH)(4)(-) ions at the surface of ionic liquid (IL) mu-droplets. The nanosheets produced at the interface are spontaneously extracted into the ionic liquid phase, which effectively prevents the formation of thicker nanoplates.