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Researchers have fine-tuned a technique for coating gold nanorods with silica shells, allowing engineers to create large quantities of the nanorods and giving them more control over the thickness of the shell. Because they have a surface plasmon resonance – meaning they can absorb and scatter light - these nanorods have a lot of potential applications.
And by controlling the dimensions of the nanorods, specifically their aspect ratio (or length divided by width), you can control the wavelength of light they absorb. This makes them attractive for use in catalysis, security materials and a range of biomedical applications, such as diagnostics, imaging and cancer therapy.Image credit: Joseph Tracy, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University
