| Scope |
Noble metal nanomaterials are one of the most active research areas in materials, physics and chemistry. Many controllable strategies have been developed to synthesize noble metal nanoparticles with platonic morphologies, such as colloidal method, electrochemical method and physical method etc. Correspondingly, its fantastic shape, size and components-dependent properties and its applications in the field of optics, electronics, magnetism, catalysis and antibacterial have been widely reported. Therefore, this symposium will include following topics:
1) The most recent research progresses in synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles with controllable structures, morphologies and components.
Controlling the dynamics in the nucleation and growth process of nanoparticles was one of the most focused issues in synthesis of nanoparticles with controllable morphologies. And such non-equilibrium growth process is affected by many factors, such as size , structure and component of the seeds; the kind, properties and concentration of metal precursors and reducer; the concentration ratios between precursors and additives (capping reagents); the selective adsorption of capping reagents on different facets of nanocrystals and reaction time, temperature and atmosphere etc. On the other hand, by controlling the component and the structures of structures and components of noble metal nanoparticles, their physical and chemical properties can be well modified. Therefore, mono-, bi- or tri-metallic nanoparticles with special structures, such as nanoparticles enclosed by some of simple facets including {100}, {111} and {110}, high index crystal facets including {530}, {210} and {730}, multi-branched and hollow structures, have been widely reported currently. However, the growth mechanism, the controlling techniques, and the morphologies with controllable component still are remained questions, which need to be further investigated.
2), Growth and Surface Plasmon Polaritons of Noble Metallic Nanostructures
Study on the interaction between light and noble metallic nanostructures have attracted increasingly attentions due to the potential applications in optoelectronic nanodevices such as near field optical microscopy, enhanced Raman spectrum, data storage, subwavelength optics, solar cells, negative index media or metamaterials, superlens or hyperlens, and light-emitting diodes. Incident light with special wavelength could active surface plasmon polaritons on the surface of the noble metallic nanostructures depending on the eigen wavelength of the nanostructures. The morphology of the noble metallic nanostructures such as spheres, cubic, wires, and tubes, play an important role in the eigen wavelength, and the wavelength could been adjusted from ultraviolet to infrared region. Metallic nanostructures with various morphologies could be obtained using physical, chemical and combined methods. However, the growth mechanism of the nanostructures is still not clear and need to be studied. How to control the morphology of the noble metallic nanostructures and adjust the eigen wavelength are of great importance for the development of new optoelectronic devices based on the surface plasmon polaritons.
3), Mesocrystal growth behavior of noble metal nanostructures
A mesocrystal whose size is on the scale of some hundred nanometers to microns is an ordered nanoparticle superstructure often with external crystal faces and internal porosity. Mesocrystals are colloidal crystals composed of individual nanocrystals that are aligned in a common crystallographic orientation, exhibiting scattering properties similar to a single crystal, which generally observed in bio- and biomimetic mineralization, metal oxides, sulphides, etc. However, the mesocrystal growth behavior observed in noble metal nanoparticles provides an alterative explanation for the formation of dendrite during the galvanic reactions. Recently, Ag and Au mesocrystals have been synthesized through galvanic reaction between corresponding metal ions and other metals with lower chemical potential. However, the growth mechanism and corresponding properties should be further investigated.
4), The Applications of Structured Noble Metal Nanoparticles
The fantastic shape dependent physical and chemical properties of nanostructures have attracted a great deal of attention and interest from worldwide scientists for their potential applications in the field of catalysts, magnetic storage, biosensors, disease detection, and optics. For example, it has been shown that the catalytic reactions on noble metal surface can be much enhanced by modifying the surface structure and incorporating other metal atoms to form an alloy with the proper composition and crystal phase. On the other hand, the applications of their morphologies, structures and components related properties in the fields of catalyst, biomedicine et.al, are one of the most focused issues. |