Question

Discuss the key differences between template synthesis vs template-free synthesis

Answer 1

Template synthesis is a method using a nanoporous membrane as a template to make nanofibers from various materials, namely, conductive polymers, metals, semiconductors, and carbon

Templating is one of the most important techniques for the controlled synthesis of nanostructured materials. This powerful tool uses a pre-existing guide with desired nanoscale features to direct the formation of nanomaterials into forms that are otherwise difficult to obtain. As a result, templated synthesis is capable of producing nanostructures with unique structures, morphologies and properties. In this review, we summarize the general principles of templated synthesis and cover recent developments in this area. As a wide variety of synthesis techniques are utilized to produce nanomaterials using template-based methods, the discussion is organized around the various types of common templates. We examine the use of both physical and chemical hard colloidal templates, soft templates, and other non-colloidal templates, followed by our perspective on the state of the field and potential future directions.