Mesoporous Gold Nanostructures: Synthesis and Beyond

Mesoporous metal nanostructures have offered multiple advantages that cannot be realized elsewhere. These materials have been attracting more research attention in catalysis and electrocatalysis owing to their functional structures and compositions. Of the various mesoporous metals available, mesoporous gold (mesoAu) nanostructures are of special interest in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and related applications because of their strong electromagnetic field (localized surface plasmon resonance). In the last few decades, various synthesis strategies have been developed to prepare mesoAu nanostructures with controllable morphologies that exhibit fascinating physicochemical properties and increase applications in SERS, catalysis, and electrocatalysis. In this Perspective, we systematically summarize recent advances in synthesis and applications of mesoAu nanostructures. Four synthesis strategies, including dealloying, nanocasting, electrochemical deposition, and intermediate template, are discussed in detail. Moreover, physicochemical properties and promising applications of mesoAu nanostructures are presented. Finally, we describe current challenges and give a general outlook to explore further directions in synthesis and applications of mesoAu nanostructures.