to my knowledge Au Nanospheres used are hollow to exploit medical usage i.e. medicine loading, imaging etc. and lower the amount of Au in vivo. In what instances, if at all, are solid Au Nanospheres used instead and why?
My understanding is that hollow NPs are preferred exploiting less in vivo toxicity, imaging, drug carrying techniques etc. but just not always thermodynamically possible and therefore then solid. (However there may be instances where all solid is preferred i.e. gathering more heat to the NP that I am just not savvy to, feel free to add :) .)