Anisotropic nanostructures (ANs) have increasingly become attractive
materials in the current decade due to the direction-dependent properties associated
with them. The materialization of ANs is highly delicate, where sharp edges and
vertices synthesis is very crucial. There are a few factors that play an important role in
the synthesis of ANs, such as surfactants, pH, temperature, etchants, choice of reducing
agent, metal precursor, reaction time, solvent, etc. This chapter discusses how
surfactants affect the growth of ANs. Although several surfactants are used for the
synthesis of ANs, we have focused on the surfactants, such as cetyltrimethylammonium
bromide (CTAB) polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), cetyltrimethylammonium chloride
(CTAC), and binary surfactant mixture used for the synthesis of Au, Ag, and Cu
nanostructures. An overview of various types of surfactants and the importance of the
choice of surfactant, which is necessary for the synthesis of the particular
nanostructure, is presented. Also, the change in nanostructure formation with the
change in percentage assay of surfactant is discussed. The contemporary strategies and
advantages of binary surfactant mixture over the mono-surfactant are comprehensively
reviewed. The challenges in the synthesis of particular nanostructures with the required
size and morphology are highlighted.
Keywords: Anisotropic nanostructures, Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide,
Cetyltrimethylammonium chloride and binary surfactant mixture, Gold
nanostructures, Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Silver nanostructure.
