Inorganic nanoparticles prepared in miniemulsion

The defined synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles is the crucial step for their successful application. Thus, preparation methods to control composition, shape, size, and aggregation behavior are of high interest and relevance. Here, the possibilities that the miniemulsion technique offers for the generation of inorganic nanoparticles are reviewed. Several of the traditional synthetic methods as the controlled precipitation or sol-gel chemistry were confined to the droplets of a miniemulsion, leading to new structures and morphologies. Furthermore, the focus is put on polymer- and latex-assisted mineralization and a miniemulsion-based approach to nonconventional colloidal lithography. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.