In recent years, we are studying on the seed-mediated growth method as a new strategy to attach and grow metal nanoparticles on conducting substrates, such as indium tin oxide (ITO). In this method, metal nanoparticles can be fixed via a simple two-step immersion of the substrate into two different solutions at room temperature. In the first step, the nano-seed particles are inferred to attach on the surfaces by just immersing the substrates into the metal colloid solution (the seed solution) via the physi-sorption. In the second step, gradual nanocrystal growth from the nano-seed particles attached on the substrate is considered to occur via the chemical reduction of metal ions in the solution containing surfactants (the growth solution). In this review, some details of our preparation methods of metal nanoparticle-attached ITO electrodes and successful electrochemical or other applications of thus fabricated materials are summarized.
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