Patent ID: 8097295

Claim:
A method of making nanoparticles comprising a first noble metal, the method comprising: performing electroless plating in to form an island film on a tin-sensitized surface by: depositing a droplet of a solution comprising a nanoparticle precursor onto a second noble metal disposed on the surface, wherein the droplet comprises a volume less than about 20 microliter, and wherein the nanoparticle precursor comprises ions of the first noble metal; and galvanically displacing the second noble metal with the nanoparticle precursor, wherein the second noble metal is less noble than the first noble metal; and annealing the island film to form the nanoparticles, wherein an average diameter of the nanoparticles is controlled during processing from about 5 nm to about 300 nm by controlling the island film thickness or annealing conditions.