Chiral metal nanostructures: synthesis, properties and applications

Chirality, the property that an object cannot coincide with its mirror image arising from lack of mirror symmetry, is ubiquitous in nature at various length scales. The physical and chemical properties are strongly related to the nature of chiral complexes, playing a significant role in various fields such as photonics, biochemistry, medicine and catalysis. In particular, the recent flexible design of chiral metal nanostructures offers one platform for deeply understanding the origin of chirality and one roadmap for the precise construction of chiral nanomaterials directed by the applications. Herein, we summarize the different geometries and classical synthetic approaches to chiral noble metal nanomaterials. Moreover, chiroptical properties and potential applications of chiral metal nanostructures are discussed as well. Finally, the opportunities and challenges toward the synthesis and application of chiral metal nanostructures are proposed. Graphical abstract