Anti‐Galvanic Reduction of Thiolate‐Protected Gold and Silver Nanoparticles

Unexpected: Anti-galvanic reduction (AGR), that is, metal ions are reduced by more-noble metals, was found in small thiolated gold (see figure) and silver nanoparticles! These findings are not only unexpected considering the classic galvanic theory, but also provide a facile and mild method to make alloys on the nanoscale or tune the compositions, structures, and properties of nanostructures that are otherwise difficult to obtain.