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: H(2)O (no Au-NP stabilization) < IL anion, e.g. BF(4)(-) approximately = PH(3) < citrate <Cl(-) (which inhibits Au-NP growth).