Thermodynamics Model for Mechanochemical Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles: Implications for Solvent-Free Nanoparticle Production

Mechanochemistry is becoming an established method for the sustainable, solid-phase synthesis of scores of nanomaterials and molecules, ranging from active pharmaceutical ingredients to materials for cleantech. Yet, we are still lacking a good model to rationalize experimental observations and develop a mechanistic understanding of the factors at play during mechanically assisted, solid-phase nanoparticle synthesis. We propose herein a …