Asymmetric hollow nanorod formation through a partial galvanic replacement reaction

An asymmetric single hollow structure was generated from Ag-Au-Ag heterometal nanorods by a partial galvanic replacement reaction for the first time. The C(2)-symmetry breaking took place because of the random generation of a single pit on only one end of the silver domain at an early stage of the reaction. Careful control of the reaction kinetics could also yield a double-hollow structure on both ends of the silver domain. The resulting single- and double-hollow nanorods exhibited characteristic extinctions in the near-IR range.