Solvothermal preparation of single-crystalline gold nanorods in novel nonaqueous microemulsions

Single-crystalline gold nanorods have been prepared by one-step, seedless solvothermal reduction of HAuCl4 center dot 4H(2)O in cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)/octane + butanol/formamide microemulsions. Formamide provides not only reduction but also sites occupied by Au3+ ion through replacing water pools in the traditional microemulsions.