In Situ Spectroscopic Probes for Structures and Processes at the Surface of Noble Metallic Nanoparticles

Metallic nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention in research because of their wide applicability in various areas. Because the properties of metallic NPs can be regulated by altering the covered ligand layer, it is crucial to be able to probe the composition, structure, and dynamic processes of molecules on metallic NPs for understanding nanoparticle–molecule interactions so as to enable the exploiting of NPs with desired properties and functionalities. However, a detailed description of the conformations of molecules and the dynamic interactions between molecules and metallic NPs is challenging owing to the requirement of real-time, in situ, and non-destructive surface probing technologies. This review presents an overview of probing the structures and dynamic processes of molecules on the surface of metallic NPs by different spectroscopic techniques.