Silver has long been interwoven into human history, and
its uses
have evolved from currency and jewelry to medicine, information technology,
catalysis, and electronics. Within the last century, the development
of nanomaterials has further solidified the importance of this element.
Despite this long history, there was essentially no mechanistic understanding
or experimental control of silver nanocrystal synthesis until about
two decades ago. Here we aim to provide an account of the history
and development of the colloidal synthesis of silver nanocubes, as
well as some of their major applications. We begin with a description
of the first accidental synthesis of silver nanocubes that spurred
subsequent investigations into each of the individual components of
the protocol, revealing piece by piece parts of the mechanistic puzzle.
This is followed by a discussion of the various obstacles inherent
to the original method alongside mechanistic details developed to
optimize the synthetic protocol. Finally, we discuss a range of applications
enabled by the plasmonic and catalytic properties of silver nanocubes,
including localized surface plasmon resonance, surface-enhanced Raman
scattering, metamaterials, and ethylene epoxidation, as well as further
derivatization and development of size, shape, composition, and related
properties.