Three-dimensional characterization of the growth of anisotropic Au nanoparticles.

The design and synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) with predefined size and shape remains a major challenge in materials science. Although the growth of Au NPs is mature, synthetic procedures have evolved largely empirically so far. Obtaining full control over the synthesis of Au NPs is of key importance toward their efficient applicability in e.g. photothermal therapy and plasmonic sensing. However, in order to optimize the synthesis protocols and obtain NPs with specific properties, a detailed quantitative structural characterization of the products during the different growth stages by advanced transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is needed. The aim of this project is to optimize TEM techniques and to develop novel three-dimensional (3D) characterization tools, adequate to elucidate different aspects in the growth of Au NPs that still remain unclear. These novel methodologies will allow me to characterize Au NPs at different growth stages, which will yield the necessary insights to gain control over both the growth of Au seeds as well as the Au NPs. A challenging and ambitious goal in this project will be to realize high throughput 3D studies to perform a statistically relevant analysis concerning the size and shape of NPs. This project will have a major impact on the synthesis of metal NPs. The outcome of our experiments will enable one to optimize the synthesis towards highly monodisperse NPs, which will lead to a more effective use in biomedical applications.

Keywords:NANOPARTICLES, ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, NANOTECHNOLOGY

Disciplines:Classical physics, Elementary particle and high energy physics, Other physical sciences, Ceramic and glass materials, Materials science and engineering, Semiconductor materials, Other materials engineering

Project type:Collaboration project