Stop-and-go, stepwise and ligand-free'' nucleation, nanocrystal growth and formation of Au-NPs in ionic liquids (ILs)

Ionic liquids function as a nanosynthetic template for a ligand-free'' stepwise formation of gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs) which can be stopped and resumed at different color steps and Au-NP sizes (between 2.6 and 200 nm median diameter) and which can be reasoned by the DFT-calculation stabilization order: H2O (no Au-NP stabilization) < IL anion, e.g. BF4- approximate to PH3 < citrate < Cl- (which inhibits Au-NP growth).