We report the first synthesis of anisotropic gold nanostructures prepared through hydrothermal citrate reduction of HAuCl4 in the presence of a greener ionic liquid 1- butyl-3-methylimidazolium lauryl sulfate. The synthesized nanostructures possess well-defined shape and sharp edges ranging from triangular, truncated triangular and hexagonal geometries with preferred growth along the (111) plane. The morphology of the crystal is conserved except for the occurrence of stacking after prolonged heating emphasizing a preferential growth along the a-b plane. At higher concentration of the ionic liquid, a different geometry, intertwining nanoparticles and nanorods were observed. This elongation was confirmed spectroscopically through the hypsochromic shift of the plasmon band of the nanostructures and evolution of a near- IR peak.
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