WorldWideScience

Sample records for plasmonic au nanoparticles

  1. Mechanical control of the plasmon coupling with Au nanoparticle arrays fixed on the elastomeric film via chemical bond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedogni, Elena; Kaneko, Satoshi; Fujii, Shintaro; Kiguchi, Manabu

    2017-03-01

    We have fabricated Au nanoparticle arrays on the flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film. The nanoparticles were bound to the film via a covalent bond by a ligand exchange reaction. Thanks to the strong chemical bonding, highly stable and uniformly dispersed Au nanoparticle arrays were fixed on the PDMS film. The Au nanoparticle arrays were characterized by the UV-vis, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). The UV-vis and SEM measurements showed the uniformity of the surface-dispersed Au nanoparticles, and SERS measurement confirmed the chemistry of the PDMS film. Reflecting the high stability and the uniformity of the Au nanoparticle arrays, the plasmon wavelength of the Au nanoparticles reversely changed with modulation of the interparticle distance, which was induced by the stretching of the PDMS film. The plasmon wavelength linearly decreased from 664 to 591 nm by stretching of 60%. The plasmon wavelength shift can be explained by the change in the strength of the plasmon coupling which is mechanically controlled by the mechanical strain.

  2. Enhanced absorption in Au nanoparticles/a-Si:H/c-Si heterojunction solar cells exploiting Au surface plasmon resonance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Losurdo, Maria; Giangregorio, Maria M.; Bianco, Giuseppe V.; Sacchetti, Alberto; Capezzuto, Pio; Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, via Orabona 4, 70126 Bari (Italy)

    2009-10-15

    Au nanoparticles (NPs)/(n-type)a-Si:H/(p-type)c-Si heterojunctions have been deposited combining plasma-enhanced chemical-vapour deposition (PECVD) with Au sputtering. We demonstrate that a density of {proportional_to}1.3 x 10{sup 11} cm{sup -2} of Au nanoparticles with an approximately 20 nm diameter deposited onto (n-type)a-Si:H/(p-type)c-Si heterojunctions enhance performance exploiting the improved absorption of light by the surface plasmon resonance of Au NPs. In particular, Au NPs/(n-type)a-Si:H/(p-type)c-Si show an enhancement of 20% in the short-circuit current, J{sub SC}, 25% in the power output, P{sub max} and 3% in the fill factor, FF, compared to heterojunctions without Au NPs. Structures have been characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy and current-voltage (I-V) measurements to correlate the plasmon resonance-induced enhanced absorption of light with photovoltaic performance. (author)

  3. Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Emissions of Phosphors with Au Nanoparticles Embedded in ITO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Ja-Yeon [Korea Photonics Technology Institute (KOPTI), Gwangju (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Seung Jong; Park, Hyun-Sun; Kim, Min-Woo; Cho, Yoo-Hyun; Kwon, Min-Ki [Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-03-15

    Au nanoparticles were embedded in a transparent conducting layer of indium tin oxide in order to evaluate the feasibility of applying a surface-plasmon (SP)-enhanced phosphor to light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The efficiency of the phosphor was improved by energy matching between the phosphor and the SP of the Au nanoparticles. After the density of the Au nanoparticles and the thickness of the spacer layer had been optimized, the efficiency of a green phosphor was improved by 64% compared to that of an isolated green phosphor. This work provides a way to fabricate high-efficiency LEDs with high color-rendering indices and wide color gamuts in white LEDs.

  4. Self-assembled Au nanoparticles on heated Corning glass by dc magnetron sputtering: size-dependent surface plasmon resonance tuning

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grammatikopoulos, S.; Pappas, S. D. [University of Patras, Laboratory of High-Tech Materials, School of Engineering (Greece); Dracopoulos, V. [Hellas-Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes, (FORTH/ICE-HT), Foundation for Research and Technology (Greece); Poulopoulos, P., E-mail: poulop@upatras.gr [University of Patras, Laboratory of High-Tech Materials, School of Engineering (Greece); Fumagalli, P. [Freie Universitaet Berlin, Institut fuer Experimentalphysik (Germany); Velgakis, M. J.; Politis, C. [University of Patras, Laboratory of High-Tech Materials, School of Engineering (Greece)

    2013-02-15

    We report on the growth of Au nanoparticles on Corning glass by direct current magnetron sputtering and on the optical absorption of the films. The substrate temperature was kept to relatively high temperatures of 100 or 450 Degree-Sign C. This lead to the growth of Au nanoparticles instead of smooth Au films as the surface energy of Au is much larger than the one of glass. The size of the particles depended on the substrate temperature and deposition time and was shown to follow a logarithmic normal distribution function. Both, the surface plasmon resonance position and bandwidth, were found to depend upon the average particle size. The surface plasmon resonance position showed a 75 nm continuous blue shift from 14 nm down to 2.5 nm average particle size. Thus, we have shown how to tune the nanoparticle size and surface plasmon resonance of Au by varying the substrate temperature and deposition time. The experimental results are reproduced reasonably using a method which is based on the size- and wavelength-dependent complex dielectric function of Au within the framework of the Mie theory for the optical properties of metallic nanospheres.

  5. SERS study of surface plasmon resonance induced carrier movement in Au@Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Lei; Zhang, Fan; Deng, Xin-Yu; Xue, Xiangxin; Wang, Li; Sun, Yantao; Feng, Jing-Dong; Zhang, Yongjun; Wang, Yaxin; Jung, Young Mee

    2018-01-01

    A plasmon induced carrier movement enhanced mechanism of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was investigated using a charge-transfer (CT) enhancement mechanism. Here, we designed a strategy to study SERS in Au@Cu2O nanoshell nanoparticles with different shell thicknesses. Among the plasmonically coupled nanostructures, Au spheres with Cu2O shells have been of special interest due to their ultrastrong electromagnetic fields and controllable carrier transfer properties, which are useful for SERS. Au@Cu2O nanoshell nanoparticles (NPs) with shell thicknesses of 48-56 nm are synthesized that exhibit high SERS activity. This high activity originates from plasmonic-induced carrier transfer from Au@Cu2O to 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA). The CT transition from the valence band (VB) of Cu2O to the second excited π-π* transition of MBA, and is of b2 electronic symmetry, which was enhanced significantly. The Herzberg-Teller selection rules were employed to predict the observed enhanced b2 symmetry modes. The system constructed in this study combines the long-range electromagnetic effect of Au NPs, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the Au@Cu2O nanoshell, and the CT contribution to assist in understanding the SERS mechanism based on LSPR-induced carrier movement in metal/semiconductor nanocomposites.

  6. Three-dimensional TiO2/Au nanoparticles for plasmon enhanced photocatalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jianyu; Zhou, Lin; Wang, Yang; Tan, Yingling; Wang, Zhenlin; Zhu, Shining; Zhu, Jia

    2018-03-01

    The mechanisms of plasmonic nanostructures assisted photocatalytic processes are fundamental and of great importance and interest for decades. Therefore, we adopt a unique porous structure of three-dimensional TiO2/Au nanoparticles to experimentally explore the potential mechanisms of rhodamine B (RhB) based photocatalytic degradation. The highly efficient absorbance measured across the entire ultraviolet and infrared regions shows the broadband light harvesting capability and photocatalytic activity, in which the direct bandgap transition, plasmon sensitization as well as the plasmonic photothermal effect can be beneficial for the photocatalytic reaction. The RhB photocatalytic degradation experiments were conducted systematically under solar irradiance with finely chosen optical filters. Apart from the ultraviolet-driven degradation of TiO2, the plasmon assisted photocatalytic rate of our TiO2/Au structure can be enhanced by >30% as compared to the referenced TiO2 structure (equivalent to 2-4 times promotion with respect to the same quantity of the active material TiO2). Detailed wavelength-dependent analyses have revealed that the visible-driven degradation rate can be enhanced by 10 times because of the plasmon sensitization effect; while infrared-driven degradation rate is enhanced by 4 times as well for the plasmonic photothermal effect, respectively. Our experimental results may provide a clear understanding for the wavelength-dependent plasmon enhanced photocatalytic processes.

  7. Gold nanoparticle plasmon resonance in near-field coupled Au NPs layer/Al film nanostructure: Dependence on metal film thickness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeshchenko, Oleg A.; Kozachenko, Viktor V.; Naumenko, Antonina P.; Berezovska, Nataliya I.; Kutsevol, Nataliya V.; Chumachenko, Vasyl A.; Haftel, Michael; Pinchuk, Anatoliy O.

    2018-05-01

    We study the effects of coupling between plasmonic metal nanoparticles and a thin metal film by using light extinction spectroscopy. A planar monolayer of gold nanoparticles located near an aluminum thin film (thicknesses within the range of 0-62 nm) was used to analyze the coupling between the monolayer and the thin metal film. SPR peak area increase for polymer coated Au NPs, non-monotonical behavior of the peak area for bare Au NPs, as well as red shift and broadening of SPR at the increase of the Al film thickness have been observed. These effects are rationalized as a result of coupling of the layer of Au NPs with Al film through the field of localized surface plasmons in Au NPs that causes the excitation of collective plasmonic gap mode in the nanostructure. An additional mechanism for bare Au NPs is the non-radiative damping of SPR that is caused by the electrical contact between metal NPs and film.

  8. Development of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles for multimodal image-guided therapy to the brain

    OpenAIRE

    Tomitaka, Asahi; Arami, Hamed; Raymond, Andrea; Yndart, Adriana; Kaushik, Ajeet; Jayant, Rahul Dev; Takemura, Yasushi; Cai, Yong; Toborek, Michal; Nair, Madhavan

    2017-01-01

    Magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles are one of the emerging multi-functional materials in the field of nanomedicine. Their potential for targeting and multi-modal imaging is highly attractive. In this study, magnetic core / gold shell (MNP@Au) magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles were synthesized by citrate reduction of Au ion on magnetic nanoparticle seeds. Hydrodynamic size and optical property of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles synthesized with the variation of Au ion and reducing agent concentrati...

  9. Plasmonic gold nanoparticles modified titania nanotubes for antibacterial application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Jinhua; Zhou, Huaijuan; Qian, Shi; Liu, Ziwei; Feng, Jingwei; Jin, Ping; Liu, Xuanyong

    2014-01-01

    Close-packed TiO 2 nanotube arrays are prepared on metallic Ti surface by electrochemical anodization. Subsequently, by magnetron sputtering, Au nanoparticles are coated onto the top sidewall and tube inwall. The Au@TiO 2 systems can effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in darkness due to the existence of Au nanoparticles. On the basis of classical optical theories, the antibacterial mechanism is proposed from the perspective of localized surface plasmon resonance. Respiratory electrons of bacterial membrane transfer to Au nanoparticles and then to TiO 2 , which makes bacteria steadily lose electrons until death. This work provides insights for the better understanding and designing of noble metal nanoparticles-based plasmonic heterostructures for antibacterial application.

  10. Development of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles for multimodal image-guided therapy to the brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomitaka, Asahi; Arami, Hamed; Raymond, Andrea; Yndart, Adriana; Kaushik, Ajeet; Jayant, Rahul Dev; Takemura, Yasushi; Cai, Yong; Toborek, Michal; Nair, Madhavan

    2017-01-05

    Magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles are one of the emerging multi-functional materials in the field of nanomedicine. Their potential for targeting and multi-modal imaging is highly attractive. In this study, magnetic core/gold shell (MNP@Au) magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles were synthesized by citrate reduction of Au ions on magnetic nanoparticle seeds. Hydrodynamic size and optical properties of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles synthesized with the variation of Au ions and reducing agent concentrations were evaluated. The synthesized magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic properties, and their magnetic properties contributed to the concentration-dependent contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The imaging contrast from the gold shell part of the magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles was also confirmed by X-ray computed tomography (CT). The transmigration study of the magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles using an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) model proved enhanced transmigration efficiency without disrupting the integrity of the BBB, and showed potential to be used for brain diseases and neurological disorders.

  11. Complete Au@ZnO core-shell nanoparticles with enhanced plasmonic absorption enabling significantly improved photocatalysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yiqiang; Sun, Yugang; Zhang, Tao; Chen, Guozhu; Zhang, Fengshou; Liu, Dilong; Cai, Weiping; Li, Yue; Yang, Xianfeng; Li, Cuncheng

    2016-05-01

    Nanostructured ZnO exhibits high chemical stability and unique optical properties, representing a promising candidate among photocatalysts in the field of environmental remediation and solar energy conversion. However, ZnO only absorbs the UV light, which accounts for less than 5% of total solar irradiation, significantly limiting its applications. In this article, we report a facile and efficient approach to overcome the poor wettability between ZnO and Au by carefully modulating the surface charge density on Au nanoparticles (NPs), enabling rapid synthesis of Au@ZnO core-shell NPs at room temperature. The resulting Au@ZnO core-shell NPs exhibit a significantly enhanced plasmonic absorption in the visible range due to the Au NP cores. They also show a significantly improved photocatalytic performance in comparison with their single-component counterparts, i.e., the Au NPs and ZnO NPs. Moreover, the high catalytic activity of the as-synthesized Au@ZnO core-shell NPs can be maintained even after many cycles of photocatalytic reaction. Our results shed light on the fact that the Au@ZnO core-shell NPs represent a promising class of candidates for applications in plasmonics, surface-enhanced spectroscopy, light harvest devices, solar energy conversion, and degradation of organic pollutants.Nanostructured ZnO exhibits high chemical stability and unique optical properties, representing a promising candidate among photocatalysts in the field of environmental remediation and solar energy conversion. However, ZnO only absorbs the UV light, which accounts for less than 5% of total solar irradiation, significantly limiting its applications. In this article, we report a facile and efficient approach to overcome the poor wettability between ZnO and Au by carefully modulating the surface charge density on Au nanoparticles (NPs), enabling rapid synthesis of Au@ZnO core-shell NPs at room temperature. The resulting Au@ZnO core-shell NPs exhibit a significantly enhanced plasmonic

  12. Magneto-plasmonic Au-Coated Co nanoparticles synthesized via hot-injection method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, João B., Jr.; Varanda, Laudemir C.

    2018-02-01

    A synthetic procedure is described for the obtaining of superparamagnetic Co nanoparticles (NPs) via hot-injection method in the presence of sodium borohydride. The Co NPs obtained have an average diameter of 5.3 nm and saturation magnetization of 115 emu g-1. A modified Langevin equation is fitted to the magnetization curves using a log-normal distribution for the particle diameter and an effective field to account for dipolar interactions. The calculated magnetic diameter of the Co NPs is 0.6 nm smaller than TEM-derived values, implying a magnetic dead layer of 0.3 nm. The magnetic core is coated with Au to prevent oxidation, resulting in water-stable magneto-plasmonic Co/Au core/shell NPs with saturation of 71.6 emu g-1. The coating adds a localized surface plasmon resonance property with absorbance in the so-called ‘therapeutic window’ (690-900 nm), suitable for biomedical applications. It is suggested that these multifunctional NPs are distinguished as a potential platform for applied and fundamental research.

  13. Plasmonic Coupling in Three-Dimensional Au Nanoparticle Assemblies Fabricated by Anodic Aluminum Oxide Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahrum Sohn

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigated optical properties of three-dimensional (3D assemblies of Au nanoparticles (NPs, which were fabricated by dewetting of thin Au layers on anodic aluminum oxides (AAO. The NP assembly had hexagonal array of repeated multiparticle structures, which consisted of six trimers on the AAO surface and one large NP in the AAO pore (pore-NP. We performed finite-difference time-domain simulation to explain the optical response of the NP assemblies and compared the calculation results with experimental data. Such complementary studies clearly revealed how the plasmonic coupling between the constituent NPs influenced the spectral response of our NP assemblies. In particular, comparison of the assemblies with and without pore-NPs suggested that strong plasmonic coupling between trimers and pore-NP significantly affected the spectra and the field distribution of the NP assemblies. Plasmonic multi-NP assemblies could provide us new platforms to realize novel optoelectronic devices.

  14. Large enhancement of Faraday rotation by localized surface plasmon resonance in Au nanoparticles embedded in Bi:YIG film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchida, H.; Masuda, Y.; Fujikawa, R.; Baryshev, A.V.; Inoue, M.

    2009-01-01

    A large enhancement of the Faraday rotation, which is associated with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), was obtained in a sample with Au nanoparticles embedded in a Bi-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG) film. On a quartz substrate, Au nanoparticles were formed by heating an Au thin film, and a Bi:YIG film was then deposited on them. A sample containing the Au nanoparticles produced by 1000 deg. C heating showed a resonant attenuation with narrower bandwidth in the transmission spectrum than nanoparticles of other samples formed by low-temperature heating. The sharp resonant Faraday rotation angle was 4.4 times larger than the estimated intrinsic Bi:YIG film at the LSPR wavelength; the angular difference was 0.14 deg. A discrepancy in the bandwidth between the transmission attenuation and the resonant Faraday rotation is discussed

  15. Excitation of multipolar surface plasmon resonance in plasmonic nanoparticles by complex accelerating beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yang; Li, Jiafang; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Chen, Yue-Gang

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, through a vector-spherical harmonics approach, we investigate the optical spectra of plasmonic Au nanoparticles excited by two special accelerating beams: a non-paraxial Airy beam and a Bessel beam. We systematically analyze the impacts of the beam profile, phase, and helical wave front of the electromagnetic fields on the optical spectrum and the excitation of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We find that the high-order phase in the Airy beam would result in strong plasmonic oscillations in the optical spectra, while the cone angle and orbital angular momentum carried by the Bessel beam could be employed to engineer the plasmon modes excited in Au nanoparticles. Furthermore, the optical spectrum excited by a combined Airy–Bessel–Gauss beam is discussed. The study could help to deeply explore new ways to manipulate SPR in metal nanoparticles via the wave front engineering of optical beams for enhancing light–matter interaction and optical sensing performance. (paper)

  16. Excitation of multipolar surface plasmon resonance in plasmonic nanoparticles by complex accelerating beams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Li, Jiafang; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Chen, Yue-Gang

    2015-07-01

    In this paper, through a vector-spherical harmonics approach, we investigate the optical spectra of plasmonic Au nanoparticles excited by two special accelerating beams: a non-paraxial Airy beam and a Bessel beam. We systematically analyze the impacts of the beam profile, phase, and helical wave front of the electromagnetic fields on the optical spectrum and the excitation of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). We find that the high-order phase in the Airy beam would result in strong plasmonic oscillations in the optical spectra, while the cone angle and orbital angular momentum carried by the Bessel beam could be employed to engineer the plasmon modes excited in Au nanoparticles. Furthermore, the optical spectrum excited by a combined Airy-Bessel-Gauss beam is discussed. The study could help to deeply explore new ways to manipulate SPR in metal nanoparticles via the wave front engineering of optical beams for enhancing light-matter interaction and optical sensing performance.

  17. Au, Ag and Au:Ag colloidal nanoparticles synthesized by pulsed laser ablation as SERS substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Vinod

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Chemically pure colloidal suspensions of gold and silver nanoparticles were synthesized using pulsed laser ablation. The dependence of laser fluence on the surface plasmon characteristics of the nanoparticles was investigated. Au:Ag colloidal suspensions were prepared by mixing highly monodisperse Au and Ag nanocolloids. The plasmon band of these mixtures was found to be highly sensitive to Au:Ag concentration ratio and wavelength of the laser beam used in the ablation process. The Au:Ag mixture consists of almost spherical shaped nanostructures with a tendency to join with adjacent ones. The surface enhanced Raman scattering activity of the Au, Ag and Au:Ag colloidal suspensions was tested using crystal violet as probe molecules. Enhancement in Raman signal obtained with Au:Ag substrates was found to be promising and strongly depends on its plasmon characteristics.

  18. Growth of Au nanoparticle films and the effect of nanoparticle shape on plasmon peak wavelength

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Horikoshi, S., E-mail: horikoshi@sstl.info; Matsumoto, N.; Kato, T. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Omata, Y. [Application and Technical Support, Elionix, Inc., 3-7-6 Motoyokoyama Hachioji, Tokyo 192-0063 (Japan)

    2014-05-21

    Metal nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and thus have potential for use in a wide range of applications. A facile technique for the preparation of NP films using an electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma sputtering method without a dewetting process is described. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observations revealed that the Au NPs grew independently as island-like particles during the first stage of sputtering and then coalesced with one another as sputtering time increased to ultimately form a continuous film. A plasmon absorption peak was observed via optical measurement of absorption efficiency. The LSPR peak shifted toward longer wavelengths (red shift) with an increase in sputtering time. The cause of this plasmon peak shift was theoretically investigated using the finite-difference time-domain calculation method. A realistic statistical distribution of the particle shapes based on FE-SEM observations was applied for the analysis, which has not been previously reported. It was determined that the change in the shape of the NPs from spheroidal to oval or slender due to coalescence with neighbouring NPs caused the LSPR peak shift. These results may enable the design of LSPR devices by controlling the characteristics of the nanoparticles, such as their size, shape, number density, and coverage.

  19. Growth of Au nanoparticle films and the effect of nanoparticle shape on plasmon peak wavelength

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horikoshi, S.; Matsumoto, N.; Omata, Y.; Kato, T.

    2014-05-01

    Metal nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and thus have potential for use in a wide range of applications. A facile technique for the preparation of NP films using an electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma sputtering method without a dewetting process is described. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) observations revealed that the Au NPs grew independently as island-like particles during the first stage of sputtering and then coalesced with one another as sputtering time increased to ultimately form a continuous film. A plasmon absorption peak was observed via optical measurement of absorption efficiency. The LSPR peak shifted toward longer wavelengths (red shift) with an increase in sputtering time. The cause of this plasmon peak shift was theoretically investigated using the finite-difference time-domain calculation method. A realistic statistical distribution of the particle shapes based on FE-SEM observations was applied for the analysis, which has not been previously reported. It was determined that the change in the shape of the NPs from spheroidal to oval or slender due to coalescence with neighbouring NPs caused the LSPR peak shift. These results may enable the design of LSPR devices by controlling the characteristics of the nanoparticles, such as their size, shape, number density, and coverage.

  20. The influence of shell thickness of Au@TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles on the plasmonic enhancement effect in dye-sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wei-Liang; Lin, Fan-Cheng; Yang, Yu-Chen; Huang, Chen-Hsien; Gwo, Shangjr; Huang, Michael H; Huang, Jer-Shing

    2013-09-07

    Plasmonic core-shell nanoparticles (PCSNPs) can function as nanoantennas and improve the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). To achieve maximum enhancement, the morphology of PCSNPs needs to be optimized. Here we precisely control the morphology of Au@TiO2 PCSNPs and systematically study its influence on the plasmonic enhancement effect. The enhancement mechanism was found to vary with the thickness of the TiO2 shell. PCSNPs with a thinner shell mainly enhance the current, whereas particles with a thicker shell improve the voltage. While pronounced plasmonic enhancement was found in the near infrared regime, wavelength-independent enhancement in the visible range was observed and attributed to the plasmonic heating effect. Emission lifetime measurement confirms that N719 molecules neighboring nanoparticles with TiO2 shells exhibit a longer lifetime than those in contact with metal cores. Overall, PCSNPs with a 5 nm shell give the highest efficiency enhancement of 23%. Our work provides a new synthesis route for well-controlled Au@TiO2 core-shell nanoparticles and gains insight into the plasmonic enhancement in DSSCs.

  1. Silver nanoparticles from silver halide photography to plasmonics

    CERN Document Server

    Tani, Tadaaki

    2015-01-01

    This book provides systematic knowledge and ideas on nanoparticles of Ag and related materials. While Ag and metal nanoparticles are essential for plasmonics, silver halide (AgX) photography relies to a great extent on nanoparticles of Ag and AgX which have the same crystal structure and have been studied extensively for many years. This book has been written to combine the knowledge of nanoparticles of Ag and related materials in plasmonics and AgX photography in order to provide new ideas for metal nanoparticles in plasmonics. Chapters 1–3 of this book describe the structure and formation of nanoparticles of Ag and related materials. Systematic descriptions of the structure and preparation of Ag, Au, and noble-metal nanoparticles for plasmonics are followed by and related to those of nanoparticles of Ag and AgX in AgX photography. Knowledge of the structure and preparation of Ag and AgX nanoparticles in photography covers nanoparticles with widely varying sizes, shapes, and structures, and formation proce...

  2. Hot Hole Collection and Photoelectrochemical CO2 Reduction with Plasmonic Au/p-GaN Photocathodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DuChene, Joseph S; Tagliabue, Giulia; Welch, Alex J; Cheng, Wen-Hui; Atwater, Harry A

    2018-04-11

    Harvesting nonequilibrium hot carriers from plasmonic-metal nanostructures offers unique opportunities for driving photochemical reactions at the nanoscale. Despite numerous examples of hot electron-driven processes, the realization of plasmonic systems capable of harvesting hot holes from metal nanostructures has eluded the nascent field of plasmonic photocatalysis. Here, we fabricate gold/p-type gallium nitride (Au/p-GaN) Schottky junctions tailored for photoelectrochemical studies of plasmon-induced hot-hole capture and conversion. Despite the presence of an interfacial Schottky barrier to hot-hole injection of more than 1 eV across the Au/p-GaN heterojunction, plasmonic Au/p-GaN photocathodes exhibit photoelectrochemical properties consistent with the injection of hot holes from Au nanoparticles into p-GaN upon plasmon excitation. The photocurrent action spectrum of the plasmonic photocathodes faithfully follows the surface plasmon resonance absorption spectrum of the Au nanoparticles and open-circuit voltage studies demonstrate a sustained photovoltage during plasmon excitation. Comparison with Ohmic Au/p-NiO heterojunctions confirms that the vast majority of hot holes generated via interband transitions in Au are sufficiently hot to inject above the 1.1 eV interfacial Schottky barrier at the Au/p-GaN heterojunction. We further investigated plasmon-driven photoelectrochemical CO 2 reduction with the Au/p-GaN photocathodes and observed improved selectivity for CO production over H 2 evolution in aqueous electrolytes. Taken together, our results offer experimental validation of photoexcited hot holes more than 1 eV below the Au Fermi level and demonstrate a photoelectrochemical platform for harvesting hot carriers to drive solar-to-fuel energy conversion.

  3. Design and synthesis of plasmonic magnetic nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Jit Kang; Tilton, Robert D.; Eggeman, Alexander; Majetich, Sara A.

    2007-01-01

    Core-shell nanoparticles containing both iron oxide and gold are proposed for bioseparation applications. The surface plasmon resonance of gold makes it possible to track the positions of individual particles, even when they are smaller than the optical diffraction limit. The synthesis of water-dispersible iron oxide-gold nanoparticles is described. Absorption spectra show the plasmon peaks for Au shells on silica particles, suggesting that thin shells may be sufficient to impart a strong surface plasmon resonance to iron oxide-gold nanoparticles. Dark field optical microscopy illustrates the feasibility of single-particle detection. Calculations of magnetophoretic and drag forces for particles of different sizes reveal design requirements for effective separation of these small particles

  4. Surface Reconstruction for Preparation of Plasmonic Au/TiO₂ Nanoparticle with Perfect Hetero Interface and Improved Photocatalytic Capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Guoqiu; Ping, Chen; Zhao, Qin; Cao, Min; Jin, Yonglong; Ge, Cunwang

    2018-07-01

    The photocatalytic activity of plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) is dependent on distances between Au and TiO2. The preparation of plasmonic NPs is still a challenge because of an inherent lattice mismatch on heterogeneous interfaces. The combination between Au and TiO2 NPs often exhibits physical adsorption, which affect block the electron transferring process by photo-induction from TiO2 to Au NPs and weaken the photocatalytic activity. In this work an approach for preparing plasmonic Au/TiO2 NPs with perfect hetero-interface was proposed based on reconstruction of anatase TiO2 with (101) surface and in-situ reduction of Au NPs. Under UV-irradiation, anatase TiO2 NPs with a high percentage of (001) facets in formaldehyde solution undergo photochemical reactions to reconstruct the (101) surface of TiO2 and simultaneously allow polyformaldehyde to absorb on the same surface. Thus, Au(OH)-4 ions could be adsorbed on the (101) surfaces of TiO2 through electrostatic adsorption and reduced to form nano-Au in situ after recrystallization at 180 °C. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images showed clear nanoscale lattice transition on heterogeneous interfaces of Au/TiO2 NPs. The surface structure of TiO2 NPs and the growth mechanism of Au/TiO2 NPs were evaluated with HRTEM, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It was demonstrated that the as-prepared plasmonic Au/TiO2 NPs had higher photocatalytic activity and corrosion resistance in comparison with primary TiO2 NPs by photo-electrochemical measurements. The reinforcing mechanism could be interpreted with Mott-Schottky analysis in terms of quantum mechanics. Our study implied that the reconstruction based synthesis may open up more opportunities to obtain lattice-mismatch nanomaterials for photocatalysis.

  5. Plasmonic angular tunability of gold nanoparticles generated by fs laser ablation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pace, M.L.; Guarnaccio, A.; Ranù, F. [CNR, ISM UOS Tito Scalo, Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ) 85050 (Italy); Trucchi, D. [CNR, ISM UOS Montelibretti, Via Salaria km 29.300, Monterotondo Scalo, (RM) 00015 (Italy); Orlando, S., E-mail: stefano.orlando@ism.cnr.it [CNR, ISM UOS Tito Scalo, Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ) 85050 (Italy); Mollica, D.; Parisi, G.P. [CNR, ISM UOS Tito Scalo, Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ) 85050 (Italy); Medici, L.; Lettino, A. [CNR, IMAA, Area della Ricerca di Potenza -Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo, (PZ) 85050 (Italy); De Bonis, A.; Teghil, R. [Dipart. di Scienze,Università della Basilicata, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, Potenza, 85100 (Italy); Santagata, A. [CNR, ISM UOS Tito Scalo, Zona Industriale, Tito Scalo (PZ) 85050 (Italy)

    2016-06-30

    Highlights: • fs pulsed laser ablation as a technique to produce nanoparticles. • Nanoparticle distribution as an evidence for plasmonic tunable resonances. • Correlation between angular distribution of deposited nanoparticles and specific plasmonic resonances. - Abstract: With the aim to study the influence of deposition parameters on the plasmonic properties of gold (Au) nanoparticles (NPs) deposited by ultra-short ablation, we have focused our attention in evaluating how their size distribution can be varied. In this work, the role played by the NPs’ angular distribution, agglomeration and growth is related to the resulting optical properties. UV–vis-NIR absorption spectra together with Scanning Electron Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray microdiffraction observations are presented in order to show how the angular distribution of fs laser ablation and deposition of Au NPs provides different plasmonic properties which can be beneficial for several aims, from optoelectronic to biosensor applications.

  6. Au nanoparticle-decorated silicon pyramids for plasmon-enhanced hot electron near-infrared photodetection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Zhiyang; Zhai, Yusheng; Wen, Long; Wang, Qilong; Chen, Qin; Iqbal, Sami; Chen, Guangdian; Xu, Ji; Tu, Yan

    2017-07-01

    The heterojunction between metal and silicon (Si) is an attractive route to extend the response of Si-based photodiodes into the near-infrared (NIR) region, so-called Schottky barrier diodes. Photons absorbed into a metallic nanostructure excite the surface plasmon resonances (SPRs), which can be damped non-radiatively through the creation of hot electrons. Unfortunately, the quantum efficiency of hot electron detectors remains low due to low optical absorption and poor electron injection efficiency. In this study, we propose an efficient and low-cost plasmonic hot electron NIR photodetector based on a Au nanoparticle (Au NP)-decorated Si pyramid Schottky junction. The large-area and lithography-free photodetector is realized by using an anisotropic chemical wet etching and rapid thermal annealing (RTA) of a thin Au film. We experimentally demonstrate that these hot electron detectors have broad photoresponsivity spectra in the NIR region of 1200-1475 nm, with a low dark current on the order of 10-5 A cm-2. The observed responsivities enable these devices to be competitive with other reported Si-based NIR hot electron photodetectors using perfectly periodic nanostructures. The improved performance is attributed to the pyramid surface which can enhance light trapping and the localized electric field, and the nano-sized Au NPs which are beneficial for the tunneling of hot electrons. The simple and large-area preparation processes make them suitable for large-scale thermophotovoltaic cell and low-cost NIR detection applications.

  7. Dominance of Plasmonic Resonant Energy Transfer over Direct Electron Transfer in Substantially Enhanced Water Oxidation Activity of BiVO4 by Shape-Controlled Au Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Mi Gyoung; Moon, Cheon Woo; Park, Hoonkee; Sohn, Woonbae; Kang, Sung Bum; Lee, Sanghan; Choi, Kyoung Jin; Jang, Ho Won

    2017-10-01

    The performance of plasmonic Au nanostructure/metal oxide heterointerface shows great promise in enhancing photoactivity, due to its ability to confine light to the small volume inside the semiconductor and modify the interfacial electronic band structure. While the shape control of Au nanoparticles (NPs) is crucial for moderate bandgap semiconductors, because plasmonic resonance by interband excitations overlaps above the absorption edge of semiconductors, its critical role in water splitting is still not fully understood. Here, first, the plasmonic effects of shape-controlled Au NPs on bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) are studied, and a largely enhanced photoactivity of BiVO 4 is reported by introducing the octahedral Au NPs. The octahedral Au NP/BiVO 4 achieves 2.4 mA cm -2 at the 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, which is the threefold enhancement compared to BiVO 4 . It is the highest value among the previously reported plasmonic Au NPs/BiVO 4 . Improved photoactivity is attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance; direct electron transfer (DET), plasmonic resonant energy transfer (PRET). The PRET can be stressed over DET when considering the moderate bandgap semiconductor. Enhanced water oxidation induced by the shape-controlled Au NPs is applicable to moderate semiconductors, and shows a systematic study to explore new efficient plasmonic solar water splitting cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Slow relaxation of surface plasmon excitations in Au.sub.55./sub.: the key to efficient plasmonic heating in Au/TiO.sub.2./sub.

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ranasingha, O.; Wang, H.; Zobač, Vladimír; Jelínek, Pavel; Panapitiya, G.; Neukirch, A.J.; Prezhdo, O.V.; Lewis, J.P.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, č. 8 (2016), s. 1563-1569 ISSN 1948-7185 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : Au nanoparticles * non-adiabatic molecular dynamics * plasmonics Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 9.353, year: 2016

  9. Exceptional enhancement of H{sub 2} production in alkaline environment over plasmonic Au/TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst under visible light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Xianguang; Liu, Guigao [Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0814 (Japan); Environmental Remediation Materials Unit and International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Yu, Qing [Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0814 (Japan); Wang, Tao; Chang, Kun; Li, Peng [Environmental Remediation Materials Unit and International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); Liu, Lequan, E-mail: Jinhua.YE@nims.go.jp, E-mail: Lequan.Liu@tju.edu.cn [TU-NIMS Joint Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072 (China); Ye, Jinhua, E-mail: Jinhua.YE@nims.go.jp, E-mail: Lequan.Liu@tju.edu.cn [Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0814 (Japan); Environmental Remediation Materials Unit and International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (WPI-MANA), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan); TU-NIMS Joint Research Center, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, 92 Weijin Road, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-10-01

    A reaction environment modulation strategy was employed to promote the H{sub 2} production over plasmonic Au/semiconductor composites. It is shown that the fast consumption of the holes in plasmonic Au nanoparticles by methanol in alkaline reaction environment remarkably increases H{sub 2} generation rate under visible light. The photocatalytic reaction is mainly driven by the interband transition of plasmonic Au nanoparticles, and the apparent quantum efficiency of plasmon-assisted H{sub 2} production at pH 14 reaches 6% at 420 nm. The reaction environment control provides a simple and effective way for the highly efficient solar fuel production from biomass reforming through plasmonic photocatalysis in future.

  10. Crystallographic investigation of Au nanoparticles embedded in a SrTiO{sub 3} thin film for plasmonics applications by means of synchrotron radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pincini, Davide, E-mail: davide.pincini@mail.polimi.it [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, CS 40220, 71, avenue des Martyrs, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Mazzoli, Claudio [Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano (Italy); Bernhardt, Hendrik; Katzer, Christian; Schmidl, Frank [Institut für Festkörperphysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Helmholtzweg 5, 07743 Jena (Germany); Uschmann, Ingo [Institut für Optik und Quantenelektronik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Max-Wien-Platz 1, 07743 Jena (Germany); Detlefs, Carsten [European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, CS 40220, 71, avenue des Martyrs, F-38043 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

    2015-03-14

    Self-organized monocrystalline Au nanoparticles with potential applications in plasmonics are grown in a SrTiO{sub 3} matrix by a novel two-step deposition process. The crystalline preferred orientation of these Au nanoparticles is investigated by synchrotron hard x-ray diffraction. Nanoparticles preferentially align with the (111) direction along the substrate normal (001), whereas two in-plane orientations are found with [110]{sub SrTiO{sub 3}}∥[110]{sub Au} and [100]{sub SrTiO{sub 3}}∥[110]{sub Au}. Additionally, a smaller diffraction signal from nanoparticles with the (001) direction parallel to the substrate normal (001) is observed; once again, two in-plane orientations are found, with [100]{sub SrTiO{sub 3}}∥[100]{sub Au} and [100]{sub SrTiO{sub 3}}∥[110]{sub Au}. The populations of the two in-plane orientations are found to depend on the thickness of the gold film deposited in the first step of the growth.

  11. Study on the effect of nanoparticle bimetallic coreshell Au-Ag for sensitivity enhancement of biosensor based on surface plasmon resonance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widayanti; Abraha, K

    2016-01-01

    Bimetallic Au-Ag core-shell, a type of composite spherical nanoparticle consisting of a spherical Au core covered by Ag shell, have been used as active material for biomolecular analyte detection based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. SPR technology evolved into a key technology for characterization of biomolecular interaction. In this paper, we want to show the influence of nanoparticle bimettalic Au-Ag coreshell for optic respon of LSPR biosensor through attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectrum. The method consist of several steps begin from make a model LSPR system with Kretschmann configuration, dielectric function determination of composite bimetallic coreshell nanoparticle using effective medium theory approximation and the last is reflectivity calculation for size variation of core and shell bimetallic nanoparticle. Our result show that, by varying the radius of core and shell thickness, the peak of the reflectivity (ATR spectrum) shifted to the different angle of incident light and the addition of coreshell in SPR biosensor leads to enhancement the sensitivity. (paper)

  12. Enhanced magneto-plasmonic effect in Au/Co/Au multilayers caused by exciton–plasmon strong coupling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hamidi, S.M., E-mail: m_hamidi@sbu.ac.ir; Ghaebi, O.

    2016-09-15

    In this paper, we have investigated magneto optical Kerr rotation using the strong coupling of exciton–plasmon. For this purpose, we have demonstrated strong coupling phenomenon using reflectometry measurements. These measurements revealed the formation of two split polaritonic extrema in reflectometry as a function of wavelength. Then we have shown exciton–plasmon coupling in dispersion diagram which presented an anti-crossing between the polaritonic branches. To assure the readers of strong coupling, we have shown an enhanced magneto-optical Kerr rotation by comparing the reflectometry results of strong coupling of surface Plasmon polariton of Au/Co/Au multilayer and R6G excitons with surface Plasmon polariton magneto-optical kerr effect experimental setup. - Highlights: • The magneto optical Kerr rotation has been investigated by using the strong coupling of exciton–plasmon. • We have shown exciton–plasmon coupling in dispersion diagram which presented an anti-crossing between the polaritonic branches. • Strong coupling of surface plasmon polariton and exciton have been yielded to the enhanced magneto-optical Kerr effect. • Plasmons in Au/Co/Au multilayer and exciton in R6G have been coupled to enhance magneto-optical activity.

  13. Surface plasmon resonance caused by gold nanoparticles formed on sprayed TiO{sub 2} films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oja Acik, I., E-mail: ilona.oja@ttu.ee [Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn (Estonia); Dolgov, L. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu (Estonia); Krunks, M.; Mere, A.; Mikli, V. [Department of Materials Science, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, 19086 Tallinn (Estonia); Pikker, S.; Loot, A.; Sildos, I. [Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, Riia 142, 51014 Tartu (Estonia)

    2014-02-28

    Titania films covered by gold nanoparticles are prepared by combination of spray pyrolysis and spin-coating methods. Proposed combination of techniques is prospective for photovoltaic coatings with plasmonic properties. The prepared TiO{sub 2} films with Au nanoparticles demonstrate variation in size of the gold nanocrystallites from 36 to 56 nm depending on the concentration of the HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O solution and plasmonic light extinction in the spectral range of 600–650 nm. It is shown that gold nanocrystallites enhance Raman scattering from the underlying thin TiO{sub 2} film. - Highlights: • TiO{sub 2} thin films with Au-nanoparticles were produced by chemical solution methods. • The size and shape of Au-nanoparticles are controlled by the [HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O]. • Plasmon light extinction was tuned from 600 to 650 nm by changing [HAuCl{sub 4}∙ 3H{sub 2}O]. • Raman scattering intensity of TiO{sub 2} films is enhanced by the Au-nanoparticles.

  14. Plasmonic enhancement of visible-light water splitting with Au-TiO2 composite aerogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desario, Paul A.; Pietron, Jeremy J.; Devantier, Devyn E.; Brintlinger, Todd H.; Stroud, Rhonda M.; Rolison, Debra R.

    2013-08-01

    We demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of visible-light-driven splitting of water at three-dimensionally (3D) networked gold-titania (Au-TiO2) aerogels. The sol-gel-derived ultraporous composite nanoarchitecture, which contains 1 to 8.5 wt% Au nanoparticles and titania in the anatase form, retains the high surface area and mesoporosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogels and maintains stable dispersion of the ~5 nm Au guests. A broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) feature centered at ~550 nm is present for the Au-TiO2 aerogels, but not Au-free TiO2 aerogels, and spans a wide range of the visible spectrum. Gold-derived SPR in Au-TiO2 aerogels cast as films on transparent electrodes drives photoelectrochemical oxidation of aqueous hydroxide and extends the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 from the ultraviolet region to visible wavelengths exceeding 700 nm. Films of Au-TiO2 aerogels in which Au nanoparticles are deposited on pre-formed TiO2 aerogels by a deposition-precipitation method (DP Au/TiO2) also photoelectrochemically oxidize aqueous hydroxide, but less efficiently than 3D Au-TiO2, despite having an essentially identical Au nanoparticle weight fraction and size distribution. For example, 3D Au-TiO2 containing 1 wt% Au is as active as DP Au/TiO2 with 4 wt% Au. The higher photocatalytic activity of 3D Au-TiO2 derives only in part from its ability to retain the surface area and porosity of unmodified TiO2 aerogel. The magnitude of improvement indicates that in the 3D arrangement either a more accessible photoelectrochemical reaction interphase (three-phase boundary) exists or more efficient conversion of excited surface plasmons into charge carriers occurs, thereby amplifying reactivity over DP Au/TiO2. The difference in photocatalytic efficiency between the two forms of Au-TiO2 demonstrates the importance of defining the structure of Au||TiO2 interfaces within catalytic Au-TiO2 nanoarchitectures.We demonstrate plasmonic enhancement of visible-light-driven splitting of

  15. Harvesting multiple electron-hole pairs generated through plasmonic excitation of Au nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youngsoo; Smith, Jeremy G; Jain, Prashant K

    2018-05-07

    Multi-electron redox reactions, although central to artificial photosynthesis, are kinetically sluggish. Amidst the search for synthetic catalysts for such processes, plasmonic nanoparticles have been found to catalyse multi-electron reduction of CO 2 under visible light. This example motivates the need for a general, insight-driven framework for plasmonic catalysis of such multi-electron chemistry. Here, we elucidate the principles underlying the extraction of multiple redox equivalents from a plasmonic photocatalyst. We measure the kinetics of electron harvesting from a gold nanoparticle photocatalyst as a function of photon flux. Our measurements, supported by theoretical modelling, reveal a regime where two-electron transfer from the excited gold nanoparticle becomes prevalent. Multiple electron harvesting becomes possible under continuous-wave, visible-light excitation of moderate intensity due to strong interband transitions in gold and electron-hole separation accomplished using a hole scavenger. These insights will help expand the utility of plasmonic photocatalysis beyond CO 2 reduction to other challenging multi-electron, multi-proton transformations such as N 2 fixation.

  16. Effect of Interface energy and electron transfer on shape, plasmon resonance and SERS activity of supported surfactant-free gold nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giangregorio, Maria M. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, CNR-IMIP; Dastmalchi, Babak [Ames Laboratory; Suvorova, Alexandra [University of Western Australia; Bianco, Giuseppe V. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, CNR-IMIP; Hingerl, Kurt [Johannes Kepler University Linz; Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, CNR-IMIP; Losurdo, Maria [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, CNR-IMIP

    2014-01-01

    For device integration purposes plasmonic metal nanoparticles must be supported/deposited on substrates. Therefore, it is important to understand the interaction between surfactant-free plasmonic metal nanoparticles and different substrates, as well as to identify factors that drive nanoparticles nucleation and formation. Here we show that for nanoparticles grown directly on supports, the substrate/nanoparticle interfacial energy affects the equilibrium shape of nanoparticles. Therefore, oblate, spherical and prolate Au nanoparticles (NPs) with different shapes have been deposited by radiofrequency sputtering on substrates with different characteristics, namely a dielectric oxide Al2O3 (0001), a narrow bandgap semiconductor Si (100), and a polar piezoelectric wide bandgap semiconductor 4H–SiC (0001). We demonstrate that the higher the substrate surface energy, the higher the interaction with the substrate, resulting in flat prolate Au nanoparticles. The resulting localized surface plasmon resonance characteristics of Au NPs/Al2O3, Au NPs/Si and Au NPs/SiC have been determined by spectroscopic ellipsometry and correlated with their structure and shape studied by transmission electron microscopy. Finally, we have demonstrated the diverse response of the tailored plasmonic substrates as ultrasensitive SERS chemical sensors. Flat oblates Au NPs on SiC result in an enhanced and more stable SERS response. The experimental findings are validated by numerical simulations of electromagnetic fields.

  17. Optical characterization of broad plasmon resonances of Pd/Pt nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valizade-Shahmirzadi, N.; Pakizeh, T.

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, optical properties of nanoparticles (nanodisks and nanospheres) composed of photofunctional metals like palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) over a large dimension range are investigated using the electromagnetic simulation and quasi-static theory. These characteristics are compared with their counterparts in plasmonic gold (Au) nanoparticles. Pd/Pt-nanodisks with larger dimension have higher absorption and lower scattering efficiencies than Au-nanodisks that accompany with lower extinction efficiencies and broader resonances. Although an increment in the dimension (diameter and height) of Au/Pd/Pt-nanoparticles decreases the absorption-to-scattering ratios, these ratios are less sensitive to the height size in Au-nanodisks, which causes their LSPR spectra become much broader. It is noteworthy that the LSPR quality factor of Pd nanoparticles is improved by considering the radiative damping and depolarization in quasi-static method unlike the Au nanoparticles. The importance of the highly absorptive Pd/Pt nanoparticles can be traced in the photo-functionalized and energy applications.

  18. Fabrication of Au- and Ag–SiO{sub 2} inverse opals having both localized surface plasmon resonance and Bragg diffraction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Erola, Markus O.A.; Philip, Anish; Ahmed, Tanzir; Suvanto, Sari; Pakkanen, Tuula T., E-mail: Tuula.Pakkanen@uef.fi

    2015-10-15

    The inverse opal films of SiO{sub 2} containing metal nanoparticles can have both the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metal nanoparticles and the Bragg diffraction of inverse opal crystals of SiO{sub 2}, which are very useful properties for applications, such as tunable photonic structures, catalysts and sensors. However, effective processes for fabrication of these films from colloidal particles have rarely been reported. In our study, two methods for preparation of inverse opal films of SiO{sub 2} with three different crystal sizes and containing gold or silver nanoparticles (NPs) via self-assembly using electrostatic interactions and capillary forces are reported. The Bragg diffraction of inverse opal films of SiO{sub 2} in the presence and absence of the template was measured and predicted on the basis of with UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The preparation methods used provided good-quality inverse opal SiO{sub 2} films containing highly dispersed, plasmonic AuNPs or AgNPs and having both Bragg diffractions and LSPRs. - Graphical abstract: For syntheses of SiO{sub 2} inverse opals containing Au/Ag nanoparticles two approaches and three template sizes were employed. Self-assembly of template molecules and metal nanoparticles occurred using electrostatic interactions and capillary forces. Both the Bragg diffraction of the photonic crystal and the localized surface plasmon resonance of Au/Ag nanoparticles were detected. - Highlights: • Fabrication methods of silica inverse opals containing metal nanoparticles studied. • Three template sizes used to produce SiO{sub 2} inverse opals with Au/Ag nanoparticles. • PS templates with Au nanoparticles adsorbed used in formation of inverse opals. • Ag particles infiltrated in inverse opals with capillary and electrostatic forces. • Bragg diffractions of IOs and surface plasmon resonances of nanoparticles observed.

  19. Coexistence of plasmonic and magnetic properties in Au89Fe 11 nanoalloys

    KAUST Repository

    Amendola, Vincenzo; Meneghetti, Moreno; Bakr, Osman; Riello, Pietro; Polizzi, Stefano; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Fiameni, Stefania; Arosio, Paolo; Orlando, Tomas; De Julian Fernandez, Cé sar; Pineider, Francesco; Sangregorio, Claudio; Lascialfari, Alessandro

    2013-01-01

    We describe an environmentally friendly, top-down approach to the synthesis of Au89Fe11 nanoparticles (NPs). The plasmonic response of the gold moiety and the magnetism of the iron moiety coexist in the Au 89Fe11 nanoalloy with strong modification compared to single element NPs, revealing a non-linear surface plasmon resonance dependence on the iron fraction and a transition from paramagnetic to a spin-glass state at low temperature. These nanoalloys are accessible to conjugation with thiolated molecules and they are promising contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  20. Developing an aqueous approach for synthesizing Au and M@Au (M = Pd, CuPt) hybrid nanostars with plasmonic properties

    OpenAIRE

    Du, Jingshan; Yu, Junjie; Xiong, Yalin; Lin, Zhuoqing; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Deren

    2014-01-01

    Anisotropic Au nanoparticles show unique localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties, which make it attractive in optical, sensing, and biomedical applications. In this contribution, we report a general and facile strategy towards aqueous synthesis of Au and M@Au (M = Pd, CuPt) hybrid nanostars by reducing HAuCl4 with ethanolamine in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). According to electron microscopic observation and spectral monitoring, we found that the layered...

  1. Photoinduced Glycerol Oxidation over Plasmonic Au and AuM (M = Pt, Pd and Bi) Nanoparticle-Decorated TiO2 Photocatalysts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jedsukontorn, Trin; Saito, Nagahiro; Hunsom, Mali

    2018-01-01

    In this study, sol-immobilization was used to prepare gold nanoparticle (Au NP)-decorated titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysts at different Au weight % (wt. %) loading (Aux/TiO2, where x is the Au wt. %) and Au–M NP-decorated TiO2 photocatalysts (Au3M3/TiO2), where M is bismuth (Bi), platinum (Pt) or palladium (Pd) at 3 wt. %. The Aux/TiO2 photocatalysts exhibited a stronger visible light absorption than the parent TiO2 due to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect. Increasing the Au content from 1 wt. % to 7 wt. % led to increased visible light absorption due to the increasing presence of defective structures that were capable of enhancing the photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared catalyst. The addition of Pt and Pd coupled with the Au3/TiO2 to form Au3M3/TiO2 improved the photocatalytic activity of the Au3/TiO2 photocatalyst by maximizing their light-absorption property. The Au3/TiO2, Au3Pt3/TiO2 and Au3Pd3/TiO2 photocatalysts promoted the formation of glyceraldehyde from glycerol as the principle product, while Au3Bi3/TiO2 facilitated glycolaldehyde formation as the major product. Among all the prepared photocatalysts, Au3Pd3/TiO2 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity with a 98.75% glycerol conversion at 24 h of reaction time. PMID:29690645

  2. Photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticles arrayed on thermal insulation layer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namura, Kyoko; Suzuki, Motofumi; Nakajima, Kaoru; Kimura, Kenji

    2013-04-08

    Efficient photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticles on a porous SiO(2) layer was investigated experimentally and theoretically. The Au nanoparticle arrays/porous SiO(2)/SiO(2)/Ag mirror sandwiches, namely, local plasmon resonators, were prepared by dynamic oblique deposition (DOD). Photoacoustic measurements were performed on the local plasmon resonators, whose optical absorption was varied from 0.03 (3%) to 0.95 by varying the thickness of the dielectric SiO(2) layer. The sample with high absorption (0.95) emitted a sound that was eight times stronger than that emitted by graphite (0.94) and three times stronger than that emitted by the sample without the porous SiO(2) layer (0.93). The contribution of the porous SiO(2) layer to the efficient photoacoustic emission was analyzed by means of a numerical method based on a one-dimensional heat transfer model. The result suggested that the low thermal conductivity of the underlying porous layer reduces the amount of heat escaping from the substrate and contributes to the efficient photoacoustic emission from Au nanoparticle arrays. Because both the thermal conductivity and the spatial distribution of the heat generation can be controlled by DOD, the local plasmon resonators produced by DOD are suitable for the spatio-temporal modulation of the local temperature.

  3. Correlation of the plasmon-enhanced photoconductance and photovoltaic properties of core-shell Au@TiO{sub 2} network

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yiqun [Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 (United States); Wu, Judy [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045 (United States); Li, Jun, E-mail: junli@ksu.edu [Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506 (United States); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei Normal University, Huangshi, Hubei 435002 (China)

    2016-08-29

    This study reveals the contribution of hot electrons from the excited plasmonic nanoparticles in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) by correlating the photoconductance of a core-shell Au@TiO{sub 2} network on a micro-gap electrode and the photovolatic properties of this material as photoanodes in DSSCs. The distinct wavelength dependence of these two devices reveals that the plasmon-excited hot electrons can easily overcome the Schottky barrier at Au/TiO{sub 2} interface in the whole visible wavelength range and transfer from Au nanoparticles into the TiO{sub 2} network. The enhanced charge carrier density leads to higher photoconductance and facilitates more efficient charge separation and photoelectron collection in the DSSCs.

  4. Coupling between magnetic and optical properties of stable Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Julian Fernandez, C; Novak, R L; Bogani, L; Caneschi, A [INSTM RU at the Department of Chemistry of the University of Firenze, via della Lastruccia 3, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy); Mattei, G; Mazzoldi, P [Department of Physics, CNISM and University of Padova, via Marzolo 8, 35131 Padova (Italy); Paz, E; Palomares, F J [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Cavigli, L, E-mail: cesar.dejulian@unifi.it [Department of Physics-LENS, University of Florence, via Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Italy)

    2010-04-23

    Au-Fe nanoparticles constitute one of the simplest prototypes of a multifunctional nanomaterial that can exhibit both magnetic and optical (plasmonic) properties. This solid solution, not feasible in the bulk phase diagram in thermal equilibrium, can be formed as a nanostructure by out-of-equilibrium processes. Here, the novel magnetic, optical and magneto-optical properties of ion-implanted Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles dispersed in a SiO{sub 2} matrix are investigated and correlated. The surface plasmon resonance of the Au-Fe nanoparticles with almost equicomposition is strongly damped when compared to pure Au and to Au-rich Au-Fe nanoparticles. In all cases, the Au atoms are magnetically polarized, as measured by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and ferromagnetically coupled with Fe atoms. Although the chemical stability of Au-Fe nanoparticles is larger than that of Fe nanoparticles, both the magnetic moment per Fe atom and the order temperature are smaller. These results suggest that electronic and magnetic properties are more influenced by the hybridization of the electronic bands in the Au-Fe solid solution than by size effects. On the other hand, the magneto-optical transitions allowed in the vis-nIR spectral regions are very similar. In addition, we also observe, after studying the properties of thermally treated samples, that the Au-Fe alloy is stabilized, not by surface effects, but by the combination of the out-of-equilibrium nature of the ion implantation technique and by changes in the properties due to size effects.

  5. Coupling between magnetic and optical properties of stable Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Julian Fernandez, C; Novak, R L; Bogani, L; Caneschi, A; Mattei, G; Mazzoldi, P; Paz, E; Palomares, F J; Cavigli, L

    2010-01-01

    Au-Fe nanoparticles constitute one of the simplest prototypes of a multifunctional nanomaterial that can exhibit both magnetic and optical (plasmonic) properties. This solid solution, not feasible in the bulk phase diagram in thermal equilibrium, can be formed as a nanostructure by out-of-equilibrium processes. Here, the novel magnetic, optical and magneto-optical properties of ion-implanted Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles dispersed in a SiO 2 matrix are investigated and correlated. The surface plasmon resonance of the Au-Fe nanoparticles with almost equicomposition is strongly damped when compared to pure Au and to Au-rich Au-Fe nanoparticles. In all cases, the Au atoms are magnetically polarized, as measured by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and ferromagnetically coupled with Fe atoms. Although the chemical stability of Au-Fe nanoparticles is larger than that of Fe nanoparticles, both the magnetic moment per Fe atom and the order temperature are smaller. These results suggest that electronic and magnetic properties are more influenced by the hybridization of the electronic bands in the Au-Fe solid solution than by size effects. On the other hand, the magneto-optical transitions allowed in the vis-nIR spectral regions are very similar. In addition, we also observe, after studying the properties of thermally treated samples, that the Au-Fe alloy is stabilized, not by surface effects, but by the combination of the out-of-equilibrium nature of the ion implantation technique and by changes in the properties due to size effects.

  6. Coupling between magnetic and optical properties of stable Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Julián Fernández, C.; Mattei, G.; Paz, E.; Novak, R. L.; Cavigli, L.; Bogani, L.; Palomares, F. J.; Mazzoldi, P.; Caneschi, A.

    2010-04-01

    Au-Fe nanoparticles constitute one of the simplest prototypes of a multifunctional nanomaterial that can exhibit both magnetic and optical (plasmonic) properties. This solid solution, not feasible in the bulk phase diagram in thermal equilibrium, can be formed as a nanostructure by out-of-equilibrium processes. Here, the novel magnetic, optical and magneto-optical properties of ion-implanted Au-Fe solid solution nanoparticles dispersed in a SiO2 matrix are investigated and correlated. The surface plasmon resonance of the Au-Fe nanoparticles with almost equicomposition is strongly damped when compared to pure Au and to Au-rich Au-Fe nanoparticles. In all cases, the Au atoms are magnetically polarized, as measured by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, and ferromagnetically coupled with Fe atoms. Although the chemical stability of Au-Fe nanoparticles is larger than that of Fe nanoparticles, both the magnetic moment per Fe atom and the order temperature are smaller. These results suggest that electronic and magnetic properties are more influenced by the hybridization of the electronic bands in the Au-Fe solid solution than by size effects. On the other hand, the magneto-optical transitions allowed in the vis-nIR spectral regions are very similar. In addition, we also observe, after studying the properties of thermally treated samples, that the Au-Fe alloy is stabilized, not by surface effects, but by the combination of the out-of-equilibrium nature of the ion implantation technique and by changes in the properties due to size effects.

  7. Surface plasmon resonance enhanced light absorption and wavelength tuneable in gold-coated iron oxide spherical nanoparticle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dasri, Thananchai; Chingsungnoen, Artit

    2018-06-01

    Surface plasmon in nano-sized particles, such as gold, silver, copper and their composites, has recently attracted a great deal of attention due to its possible uses in many applications, especially in life sciences. It is desirable for application devices with a tenability of surface plasmon wavelength and optical properties enhancement. This article presents enhanced optical light absorption and tunable wavelength in gold-coated magnetite (Fe3O4@Au core-shell) nanoparticles embedded in water using the theoretical method of discrete dipole approximation (DDA). The absorption spectra in the wavelengths from 350 to 900 nm were found to be the spectra obtained from Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles, and when compared with pure Fe3O4 nanoparticles, the surface plasmon resonance can be enhanced and tuned over the entire visible spectrum (viz. 350-800 nm) of the electromagnetic spectrum by varying the Au shell thickness (2-5 nm). Similarly, the Faraday rotation spectra can also be obtained.

  8. Localized surface plasmon resonance properties of Ag nanorod arrays on graphene-coated Au substrate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Haiwei; Lv, Jingwei; Liu, Chao; Sun, Tao; Chu, Paul K.; Zhang, Jingping

    2017-11-01

    Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) on silver nanorod (SNR) arrays deposited on a graphene-coated Au substrate is investigated by the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method. The resonance peaks in the extinction spectra of the SNR/graphene/Au structure show significantly different profiles as SNR height, and refractive index of the surrounding medium are varied gradually. Numerical simulation reveals that the shifts in the resonance peaks arise from hybridization of multiple plasmon modes as a result of coupling between the SNR arrays and graphene-coated Au substrate. Moreover, the LSPR modes blue-shifts from 800 nm to 700 nm when the thickness of the graphene layer in the metal nanoparticle (NP) - graphene hybrid nanostructure increases from 1 nm to 5 nm, which attribute to charge transfer between the graphene layer and SNR arrays. The results provide insights into metal NP-graphene hybrid nanostructures which have potential applications in plasmonics.

  9. Studied Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance Effects of Au Nanoparticles on TiO2 by FDTD Simulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo-Ying Yao

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR plays a significant role in the fields of photocatalysis and solar cells. It can not only broaden the spectral response range of materials, but also improve the separation probability of photo-generated electron-hole pairs through local field enhancement or hot electron injection. In this article, the LSPR effects of Au/TiO2 composite photocatalyst, with different sizes and shapes, have been simulated by the finite difference time domain (FDTD method. The variation tendency of the resonance-absorption peaks and the intensity of enhanced local enhanced electric field were systematically compared and emphasized. When the location of Au nanosphere is gradually immersed into the TiO2 substrate, the local enhanced electric field of the boundary is gradually enhanced. When Au nanoshperes are covered by TiO2 at 100 nm depths, the local enhanced electric field intensities reach the maximum value. However, when Au nanorods are loaded on the surface of the TiO2 substrate, the intensity of the corresponding enhanced local enhanced electric field is the maximum. Au nanospheres produce two strong absorption peaks in the visible light region, which are induced by the LSPR effect and interband transitions between Au nanoparticles and the TiO2 substrate. For the LSPR resonance-absorption peaks, the corresponding position is red-shifted by about 100 nm, as the location of Au nanospheres are gradually immersed into the TiO2 substrate. On the other hand, the size change of the Au nanorods do not lead to a similar variation of the LSPR resonance-absorption peaks, except to change the length-diameter ratio. Meanwhile, the LSPR effects are obviously interfered with by the interband transitions between the Au nanorods and TiO2 substrate. At the end of this article, three photo-generated carrier separation mechanisms are proposed. Among them, the existence of direct electron transfer between Au nanoparticles and the TiO2

  10. Gold nanoparticles embedded in Ta 2 O 5 /Ta 3 N 5 as active visible-light plasmonic photocatalysts for solar hydrogen evolution

    KAUST Repository

    Luo, Yujing

    2014-07-10

    Here, we demonstrate a new recreating photocatalytic activity of a Nano Au/Ta2O5 composite for hydrogen evolution from water as a visible-light-responsive plasmonic photocatalyst by embedding Au nanoparticles in a Ta2O5 host lattice. The Nano Au/Ta2O 5 composite samples were prepared through a simple Pechini-type sol-gel process. Further nitridating Nano Au/Ta2O5 composite samples in ammonia flow at 1123 K yielded Nano Au/Ta3N 5 composite samples. The obtained Nano Au/Ta3N5 composite exhibited a significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity in the visible region for hydrogen evolution from water compared with blank Ta 3N5 nanoparticles. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra and photocatalytic activity measurements indicated that the excitation of surface plasmon resonance of Au nanoparticles is responsible for the new recreating photocatalytic activity of the Nano Au/Ta2O5 composite and significantly enhanced photocatalytic activity of the Nano Au/Ta3N5 composite for hydrogen evolution in the visible region, which might be ascribed to the charge transfer effect in Nano Au/Ta 2O5 composite and the synergetic effect of charge transfer and near-field electromagnetic effect in Nano Au/Ta3N5 composite induced by surface plasmon resonance of embedded Au nanoparticles. The current study could provide a new paradigm for designing plasmonic metal/semiconductor composite systems for photocatalytic, photovoltaic and other optoelectronic devices. © the Partner Organisations 2014.

  11. Plasmon-mediated Energy Conversion in Metal Nanoparticle-doped Hybrid Nanomaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunklin, Jeremy R.

    Climate change and population growth demand long-term solutions for clean water and energy. Plasmon-active nanomaterials offer a promising route towards improved energetics for efficient chemical separation and light harvesting schemes. Two material platforms featuring highly absorptive plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are advanced herein to maximize photon conversion into thermal or electronic energy. Optical extinction, attributable to diffraction-induced internal reflection, was enhanced up to 1.5-fold in three-dimensional polymer films containing AuNPs at interparticle separations approaching the resonant wavelength. Comprehensive methods developed to characterize heat dissipation following plasmonic absorption was extended beyond conventional optical and heat transfer descriptions, where good agreement was obtained between measured and estimated thermal profiles for AuNP-polymer dispersions. Concurrently, in situ reduction of AuNPs on two-dimensional semiconducting tungsten disulfide (WS2) addressed two current material limitations for efficient light harvesting: low monolayer content and lack of optoelectronic tunability. Order-of-magnitude increases in WS2 monolayer content, enhanced broadband optical extinction, and energetic electron injection were probed using a combination of spectroscopic techniques and continuum electromagnetic descriptions. Together, engineering these plasmon-mediated hybrid nanomaterials to facilitate local exchange of optical, thermal, and electronic energy supports design and implementation into several emerging sustainable water and energy applications.

  12. Dependency of plasmon resonance sensitivity of colloidal gold nanoparticles on the identity of surrounding ionic media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrdel, B.; Aziz, A. Abdul

    2018-03-01

    The plasmon resonance sensitivity of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in sodium chloride (NaCl) liquid in near-infrared to the visible spectral region was investigated. The correlation between NaCl concentration and refractive index was analyzed using concentration dependency and Lorenz-Lorenz methods. The first derivative method was applied to the measured absorption spectra to quantitatively evaluate the plasmon resonance sensitivity. To understand the influence of the identity of the surrounding medium on the plasmon resonance sensitivity, experiments were repeated by replacing NaCl with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), followed by phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Experimental results showed that NaCl is the most effective ionic surrounding medium, which gives prominent plasmon resonance response. AuNPs size can have a significant influence on the plasmon resonance sensitivity. For tiny AuNPs (∼10 nm AuNPs), the plasmon resonance is insensitive to the identity of the surrounding medium due to their low cross-section value.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of plasmon resonant gold nanoparticles and graphene for photovoltaics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giangregorio, M.M., E-mail: michelaria.giangregorio@ba.imip.cnr.it [Institute of Methodology and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4 70126 Bari (Italy); Losurdo, M.; Bianco, G.V.; Dilonardo, E.; Capezzuto, P.; Bruno, G. [Institute of Methodology and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR, Department of Chemistry, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4 70126 Bari (Italy)

    2013-05-15

    Here we discuss the use in solar cells of graphene grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and of plasmonic gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) deposited by sputtering. The Au NPs have been coupled with a-Si heterojunction solar cells, with an organic active layer used in organic photovoltaics, and with graphene. Extensive characterization of those three systems by the optical technique of spectroscopic ellipsometry, which is suitable to monitor and analyze the plasmon resonance of the Au NPs, by the microstructural technique of Raman spectroscopy, which is suitable to analyze graphene properties and doping, and by atomic force microscopy has been carried out. Those techniques highlighted interactions between Au NPs and silicon, polymer and graphene, which lead to variation in the plasmon resonance of Au NPs and consequently in the characteristics of the Au NPs/Si, Au NPs/polymer and Au NPs/graphene hybrids. Specifically, we found that an optimal size and density of Au NPs are able to enhance the efficiency of c-Si/a-Si heterojunction solar cells and that exceeding with Au NPs size and density causes device shortcut because of interface interdiffusion between silicon and gold. To discuss organic photovoltaics, Au NPs have been combined with an electro-donating conjugated polymer, the poly[1,4bis(2-thienyl)-2,5-bis-(2-ethyl-hexyloxyphenylenes)]. We found that there is a strong correlation between the thickness and morphology of the organic active layer, which affects the energy and amplitude of the Au NPs plasmon resonance. Finally, Au NPs have been deposited on graphene. We found that Au NPs show the plasmon resonance in the region where graphene is transparent and also yield p-type doping of graphene decreasing its sheet resistance.

  14. Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Hongbo; Wen, Weijia; Wong, George K.

    2006-12-01

    Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO2, ZnO, and TiO2) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity.

  15. Photoluminescence from Au nanoparticles embedded in Au:oxide composite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao Hongbo; Wen Weijia; Wong, George K. L.

    2006-01-01

    Au:oxide composite multilayer films with Au nanoparticles sandwiched by oxide layers (such as SiO 2 , ZnO, and TiO 2 ) were prepared in a magnetron sputtering system. Their photoluminescence (PL) spectra were investigated by employing a micro-Raman system in which an Argon laser with a wavelength of 514 nm was used as the pumping light. Distinct PL peaks located at a wavelength range between 590 and 680 nm were observed in most of our samples, with Au particle size varying from several to hundreds of nanometers. It was found that the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in these composites exerted a strong influence on the position of the PL peaks but had little effect on the PL intensity

  16. Single plasmonic nanoparticles for ultrasensitive DNA sensing: From invisible to visible.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Longhua; Chen, Lichan; Hong, Seungpyo; Kim, Dong-Hwan

    2016-05-15

    The background signal is a major factor that restricts the limit of detection of biosensors. Herein, we present a zero-background DNA-sensing approach that utilizes enzyme-guided gold nanoparticle (AuNP) enlargement. This sensing strategy is based on the finding that small nanoparticles are invisible under a darkfield optical microscope, thus completely eliminating the background signal. In the event of target binding, Ag deposition is triggered and enlarges the AuNP beyond its optical diffraction limit, thereby making the invisible AuNP visible. Because the plasmon scattering of Ag is stronger than that of Au, only a thin layer of Ag is required to greatly enhance the scattering intensity of the AuNPs. Our investigation revealed that a target DNA concentration as low as 5.0×10(-21)M can transform the darkfield image of the nanoparticle from completely dark (invisible) to a blue dot (visible). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Plasmonic Effects of Metallic Nanoparticles on Enhancing Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Qi; Zhang, Chenxi; Deng, Xueshuang; Zhu, Hongbing; Li, Zhiqiang; Wang, Zengbo; Chen, Xiaohong; Huang, Sumei

    2017-10-11

    We report systematic design and formation of plasmonic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) by integrating Au@TiO 2 core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) into porous TiO 2 and/or perovskite semiconductor capping layers. The plasmonic effects in the formed PSCs are examined. The most efficient configuration is obtained by incorporating Au@TiO 2 NPs into both the porous TiO 2 and the perovskite capping layers, which increases the power conversion efficiency (PCE) from 12.59% to 18.24%, demonstrating over 44% enhancement, compared with the reference device without the metal NPs. The PCE enhancement is mainly attributed to short-circuit current improvement. The plasmonic enhancement effects of Au@TiO 2 core-shell nanosphere photovoltaic composites are explored based on the combination of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, external quantum efficiency (EQE), photocurrent properties, and photoluminescence (PL). The addition of Au@TiO 2 nanospheres increased the rate of exciton generation and the probability of exciton dissociation, enhancing charge separation/transfer, reducing the recombination rate, and facilitating carrier transport in the device. This study contributes to understanding of plasmonic effects in perovskite solar cells and also provides a promising approach for simultaneous photon energy and electron management.

  18. Developing an aqueous approach for synthesizing Au and M@Au (M = Pd, CuPt) hybrid nanostars with plasmonic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Jingshan; Yu, Junjie; Xiong, Yalin; Lin, Zhuoqing; Zhang, Hui; Yang, Deren

    Anisotropic Au nanoparticles show unique localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties, which make it attractive in optical, sensing, and biomedical applications. In this contribution, we report a general and facile strategy towards aqueous synthesis of Au and M@Au (M = Pd, CuPt) hybrid nanostars by reducing HAuCl4 with ethanolamine in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). According to electron microscopic observation and spectral monitoring, we found that the layered epitaxial growth mode (i.e., Frank-van der Merwe mechanism) contributes to the enlargement of the core, while, the random attachment of Au nanoclusters onto the cores accounts for the formation of the branches. Both of them are indispensable for the formation of the nanostars. The LSPR properties of the Au nanoparticles have been well investigated with morphology control via precursor amount and growth temperature. The Au nanostars showed improved surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) performance for rhodamine 6G due to their sharp edges and tips, which were therefore confirmed as good SERS substrate to detect trace amount of molecules.

  19. Gold-nanoparticle-mediated jigsaw-puzzle-like assembly of supersized plasmonic DNA origami.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Guangbao; Li, Jiang; Chao, Jie; Pei, Hao; Liu, Huajie; Zhao, Yun; Shi, Jiye; Huang, Qing; Wang, Lianhui; Huang, Wei; Fan, Chunhai

    2015-03-02

    DNA origami has rapidly emerged as a powerful and programmable method to construct functional nanostructures. However, the size limitation of approximately 100 nm in classic DNA origami hampers its plasmonic applications. Herein, we report a jigsaw-puzzle-like assembly strategy mediated by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to break the size limitation of DNA origami. We demonstrated that oligonucleotide-functionalized AuNPs function as universal joint units for the one-pot assembly of parent DNA origami of triangular shape to form sub-microscale super-origami nanostructures. AuNPs anchored at predefined positions of the super-origami exhibited strong interparticle plasmonic coupling. This AuNP-mediated strategy offers new opportunities to drive macroscopic self-assembly and to fabricate well-defined nanophotonic materials and devices. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Plasmon enhanced water splitting mediated by hybrid bimetallic Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erwin, William R; Coppola, Andrew; Zarick, Holly F; Arora, Poorva; Miller, Kevin J; Bardhan, Rizia

    2014-11-07

    In this work, we employed wet chemically synthesized bimetallic Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures (Au-AgNSs) to enhance the photocurrent density of mesoporous TiO2 for water splitting and we compared the results with monometallic Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). While Au-AgNSs incorporated photoanodes give rise to 14× enhancement in incident photon to charge carrier efficiency, AuNPs embedded photoanodes result in 6× enhancement. By varying nanoparticle concentration in the photoanodes, we observed ∼245× less Au-AgNSs are required relative to AuNPs to generate similar photocurrent enhancement for solar fuel conversion. Power-dependent measurements of Au-AgNSs and AuNPs showed a first order dependence to incident light intensity, relative to half-order dependence for TiO2 only photoanodes. This indicated that plasmonic nanostructures enhance charge carriers formed on the surface of the TiO2 which effectively participate in photochemical reactions. Our experiments and simulations suggest the enhanced near-field, far-field, and multipolar resonances of Au-AgNSs facilitating broadband absorption of solar radiation collectively gives rise to their superior performance in water splitting.

  1. A novel gold nanoparticle-DNA aptamer-based plasmonic chip for rapid and sensitive detection of bacterial pathogens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sun, Yi; Phuoc Long, Truong; Wolff, Anders

    2016-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)-based biosensors are emerging technologies for rapid detection of pathogens. However, it is very challenging to develop chip-based AuNP-biosensors for whole cells. This paper describes a novel AuNPs-DNA aptamer-based plasmonic assay which allows DNA aptamers...

  2. Plasmonic nanostructures for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Ruiqian

    In the last three decades, a large number of different plasmonic nanostructures have attracted much attention due to their unique optical properties. Those plasmonic nanostructures include nanoparticles, nanoholes and metal nanovoids. They have been widely utilized in optical devices and sensors. When the plasmonic nanostructures interact with the electromagnetic wave and their surface plasmon frequency match with the light frequency, the electrons in plasmonic nanostructures will resonate with the same oscillation as incident light. In this case, the plasmonic nanostructures can absorb light and enhance the light scattering. Therefore, the plasmonic nanostructures can be used as substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to enhance the Raman signal. Using plasmonic nanostructures can significantly enhance Raman scattering of molecules with very low concentrations. In this thesis, two different plasmonic nanostructures Ag dendrites and Au/Ag core-shell nanoparticles are investigated. Simple methods were used to produce these two plasmonic nanostructures. Then, their applications in surface enhanced Raman scattering have been explored. Ag dendrites were produced by galvanic replacement reaction, which was conducted using Ag nitrate aqueous solution and copper metal. Metal copper layer was deposited at the bottom side of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane. Silver wires formed inside AAO channels connected Ag nitrate on the top of AAO membrane and copper layer at the bottom side of AAO. Silver dendrites were formed on the top side of AAO. The second plasmonic nanostructure is Au/Ag core-shell nanoparticles. They were fabricated by electroless plating (galvanic replacement) reaction in a silver plating solution. First, electrochemically evolved hydrogen bubbles were used as template through electroless deposition to produce hollow Au nanoparticles. Then, the Au nanoparticles were coated with Cu shells in a Cu plating solution. In the following step, a Ag

  3. Plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles on silicon substrates: Understanding Fano-like spectra observed in reflection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bossard-Giannesini, Léo; Cruguel, Hervé; Lacaze, Emmanuelle; Pluchery, Olivier

    2016-09-01

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are known for their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) that can be measured with UV-visible spectroscopy. AuNPs are often deposited on silicon substrates for various applications, and the LSPR is measured in reflection. In this case, optical spectra are measured by surface differential reflectance spectroscopy (SDRS) and the absorbance exhibits a negative peak. This article studies both experimentally and theoretically on the single layers of 16 nm diameter spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) grafted on silicon. The morphology and surface density of AuNPs were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The plasmon response in transmission on the glass substrate and in reflection on the silicon substrate is described by an analytical model based on the Fresnel equations and the Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory (FMG). The FMG model shows a strong dependence to the incidence angle of the light. At low incident angles, the peak appears negatively with a shallow intensity, and at angles above 30°, the usual positive shape of the plasmon is retrieved. The relevance of the FMG model is compared to the Mie theory within the dipolar approximation. We conclude that no Fano effect is responsible for this derivative shape. An easy-to-use formula is derived that agrees with our experimental data.

  4. Single Nanoparticle Plasmonic Sensors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish Sriram

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The adoption of plasmonic nanomaterials in optical sensors, coupled with the advances in detection techniques, has opened the way for biosensing with single plasmonic particles. Single nanoparticle sensors offer the potential to analyse biochemical interactions at a single-molecule level, thereby allowing us to capture even more information than ensemble measurements. We introduce the concepts behind single nanoparticle sensing and how the localised surface plasmon resonances of these nanoparticles are dependent upon their materials, shape and size. Then we outline the different synthetic approaches, like citrate reduction, seed-mediated and seedless growth, that enable the synthesis of gold and silver nanospheres, nanorods, nanostars, nanoprisms and other nanostructures with tunable sizes. Further, we go into the aspects related to purification and functionalisation of nanoparticles, prior to the fabrication of sensing surfaces. Finally, the recent developments in single nanoparticle detection, spectroscopy and sensing applications are discussed.

  5. Silica-covered star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles as new electromagnetic nanoresonators for Raman characterisation of surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krajczewski, Jan; Kołątaj, Karol; Pietrasik, Sylwia; Kudelski, Andrzej

    2018-03-01

    One of the tools used for determining the composition of surfaces of various materials is shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS). SHINERS is a modification of "standard" surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), in which, before Raman spectra are recorded, the surfaces analysed are covered with a layer of plasmonic nanoparticles protected by a very thin layer of a transparent dielectric. The plasmonic cores of the core-shell nanoparticles used in SHINERS measurements generate a local enhancement of the electric field of the incident electromagnetic radiation, whereas the transparent coatings prevent the metal cores from coming into direct contact with the material being analysed. In this contribution, we propose a new type of SHINERS nanoresonators that contain spiky, star-shaped metal cores (produced from a gold/silver alloy). These spiky, star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles have been covered by a layer of silica. The small radii of the ends of the tips of the spikes of these plasmonic nanostructures make it possible to generate a very large enhancement of the electromagnetic field there, with the result that such SHINERS nanoresonators are significantly more efficient than the standard semi-spherical nanostructures. The Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles were synthesised by the reduction of a solution containing silver nitrate and chloroauric acid by ascorbic acid. The final geometry of the nanostructures thus formed was controlled by changing the ratio between the concentrations of AuCl4- and Ag+ ions. The shape of the synthesised star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles does not change significantly during the two standard procedures for depositing a layer of silica (by the decomposition of sodium silicate or the decomposition of tetraethyl orthosilicate).

  6. Synthesis and optical properties of Au decorated colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tahmasebi, Nemat; Mahdavi, Seyed Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Tungsten oxide nanoparticles were prepared by pulsed laser ablation (PLA). • A very fine metallic Au particles or coating are decorated on the surface of tungsten oxide nanoparticles. • UV–Vis spectroscopy shows an absorption peak at ∼530 nm which is due to SPR effect of gold. • After exposing to hydrogen gas, Au/WO_3 colloidal nanoparticles show excellent gasochromic coloring. - Abstract: In this study, colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles were fabricated by pulsed laser ablation of tungsten target using the first harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) in deionized water. After ablation, a 0.33 g/lit HAuCl_4 aqueous solution was added into as-prepared colloidal nanoparticles. In this process, Au"3"+ ions were reduced to decorate gold metallic state (Au"0) onto colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles surface. The morphology and chemical composition of the synthesized nanoparticles were studied by AFM, XRD, TEM and XPS techniques. UV–Vis analysis reveals a distinct absorption peak at ∼530 nm. This peak can be attributed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au and confirms formation of gold state. Moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that Au ions’ reduction happens after adding HAuCl_4 solution into as-prepared colloidal tungsten oxide nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscope shows that an Au shell has been decorated onto colloidal WO_3 nanoparticles. Noble metal decorated tungsten oxide nanostructure could be an excellent candidate for photocatalysis, gas sensing and gasochromic applications. Finally, the gasochromic behavior of the synthesized samples was investigated by H_2 and O_2 gases bubbling into the produced colloidal Au/WO_3 nanoparticles. Synthesized colloidal nanoparticles show excellent coloration contrast (∼80%) through NIR spectra.

  7. Surface plasmon resonances of Ag-Au alloy nanoparticle films grown by sequential pulsed laser deposition at different compositions and temperatures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Verma, Shweta, E-mail: shwetaverma@rrcat.gov.in; Rao, B. T.; Detty, A. P.; Kukreja, L. M. [Laser Materials Processing Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India); Ganesan, V.; Phase, D. M. [UGC-DAE Consortium for Scientific Research, Indore 452 001 (India); Rai, S. K. [Indus Synchrotons Utilization Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India); Bose, A.; Joshi, S. C. [Proton Linac and Superconducting Cavities Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore 452 013 (India)

    2015-04-07

    We studied localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) at different compositions, substrate temperatures, and mass thicknesses of Ag-Au alloy nanoparticle films grown by sequential pulsed laser deposition. The LSPRs were pronounced at all compositions of the films grown at high substrate temperature of about 300 °C as compared to those grown at room temperature. The alloy formation and composition of the films were determined using X-ray photoelectron and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Films' mass thickness and compositional uniformity along the thickness were determined using X-ray reflectometry and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed the formation of densely packed nanoparticles of increasing size with the number of laser ablation pulses. The LSPR wavelength red shifted with increasing either Au percentage or film mass thickness and corresponding LSPR tuning was obtained in the range of 450 to 690 nm. The alloy dielectric functions obtained from three different models were compared and the optical responses of the nanoparticle films were calculated from modified Yamaguchi effective medium theory. The tuning of LSPR was found to be due to combined effect of change in intrinsic and extrinsic parameters mainly the composition, morphology, particle-particle, and particle-substrate interactions.

  8. A simple approach for facile synthesis of Ag, anisotropic Au and bimetallic (Ag/Au) nanoparticles using cruciferous vegetable extracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jacob, Jasmine; Mukherjee, Tulsi; Kapoor, Sudhir, E-mail: sudhirk@barc.gov.in

    2012-10-01

    We present a simple and straightforward approach for the synthesis and stabilization of relatively monodisperse Ag, Au and bimetallic (Ag/Au) nanoparticles by using cruciferous vegetable (green/red) extracts by simply adjusting the pH environment in the aqueous medium. The vegetable extracts act both as reducing and capping agents. The monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles of Ag and Au so obtained were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is shown that red cabbage extract can be used for the preparation of anisotropic Au nanoparticles. The formation of Au anisotropic nanoparticles was found to depend on a number of environmental factors, such as the pH of the reaction medium, reaction time, and initial reactant concentrations. Additionally, it is shown that these extract-stabilized Au and Ag nanoparticles can be used as a seed for preparation of bimetallic Au/Ag nanoparticles. For bimetallic alloy nanoparticles the absorption peak was observed between the two maxima of the corresponding metallic particles. The surface plasmon absorption maxima for bimetallic nanoparticles changed linearly with increasing Au mole ratio content in various alloy compositions. It has been shown that the formation of hollow Au spheres depends on the experimental conditions. - Graphical abstract: TEM image of gold nanoparticles at pH 3.27 formed by red cabbage extract. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer First report on the reactivity of the extracts toward metal ions using a spectrophotometric technique. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Red cabbage extract has better reducing properties than green cabbage extract. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Red cabbage extract can reduce metal ions at any pH. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Reduction of metal ions can have important consequences in the study of soil chemistry.

  9. A simple approach for facile synthesis of Ag, anisotropic Au and bimetallic (Ag/Au) nanoparticles using cruciferous vegetable extracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacob, Jasmine; Mukherjee, Tulsi; Kapoor, Sudhir

    2012-01-01

    We present a simple and straightforward approach for the synthesis and stabilization of relatively monodisperse Ag, Au and bimetallic (Ag/Au) nanoparticles by using cruciferous vegetable (green/red) extracts by simply adjusting the pH environment in the aqueous medium. The vegetable extracts act both as reducing and capping agents. The monometallic and bimetallic nanoparticles of Ag and Au so obtained were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is shown that red cabbage extract can be used for the preparation of anisotropic Au nanoparticles. The formation of Au anisotropic nanoparticles was found to depend on a number of environmental factors, such as the pH of the reaction medium, reaction time, and initial reactant concentrations. Additionally, it is shown that these extract-stabilized Au and Ag nanoparticles can be used as a seed for preparation of bimetallic Au/Ag nanoparticles. For bimetallic alloy nanoparticles the absorption peak was observed between the two maxima of the corresponding metallic particles. The surface plasmon absorption maxima for bimetallic nanoparticles changed linearly with increasing Au mole ratio content in various alloy compositions. It has been shown that the formation of hollow Au spheres depends on the experimental conditions. - Graphical abstract: TEM image of gold nanoparticles at pH 3.27 formed by red cabbage extract. Highlights: ► First report on the reactivity of the extracts toward metal ions using a spectrophotometric technique. ► Red cabbage extract has better reducing properties than green cabbage extract. ► Red cabbage extract can reduce metal ions at any pH. ► Reduction of metal ions can have important consequences in the study of soil chemistry.

  10. Fabricating a Homogeneously Alloyed AuAg Shell on Au Nanorods to Achieve Strong, Stable, and Tunable Surface Plasmon Resonances

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Jianfeng

    2015-08-13

    Colloidal metal nanocrystals with strong, stable, and tunable localized surface plasmon resonances (SPRs) can be useful in a corrosive environment for many applications including field-enhanced spectroscopies, plasmon-mediated catalysis, etc. Here, a new synthetic strategy is reported that enables the epitaxial growth of a homogeneously alloyed AuAg shell on Au nanorod seeds, circumventing the phase segregation of Au and Ag encountered in conventional synthesis. The resulting core–shell structured bimetallic nanorods (AuNR@AuAg) have well-mixed Au and Ag atoms in their shell without discernible domains. This degree of mixing allows AuNR@AuAg to combine the high stability of Au with the superior plasmonic activity of Ag, thus outperforming seemingly similar nanostructures with monometallic shells (e.g., Ag-coated Au NRs (AuNR@Ag) and Au-coated Au NRs (AuNR@Au)). AuNR@AuAg is comparable to AuNR@Ag in plasmonic activity, but that it is markedly more stable toward oxidative treatment. Specifically, AuNR@AuAg and AuNR@Ag exhibit similarly strong signals in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy that are some 30-fold higher than that of AuNR@Au. When incubated with a H2O2 solution (0.5 m), the plasmonic activity of AuNR@Ag immediately and severely decayed, whereas AuNR@AuAg retained its activity intact. Moreover, the longitudinal SPR frequency of AuNR@AuAg can be tuned throughout the red wavelengths (≈620–690 nm) by controlling the thickness of the AuAg alloy shell. The synthetic strategy is versatile to fabricate AuAg alloyed shells on different shaped Au, with prospects for new possibilities in the synthesis and application of plasmonic nanocrystals.

  11. Rolling up gold nanoparticle-dressed DNA origami into three-dimensional plasmonic chiral nanostructures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Xibo; Song, Chen; Wang, Jinye; Shi, Dangwei; Wang, Zhengang; Liu, Na; Ding, Baoquan

    2012-01-11

    Construction of three-dimensional (3D) plasmonic architectures using structural DNA nanotechnology is an emerging multidisciplinary area of research. This technology excels in controlling spatial addressability at sub-10 nm resolution, which has thus far been beyond the reach of traditional top-down techniques. In this paper, we demonstrate the realization of 3D plasmonic chiral nanostructures through programmable transformation of gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-dressed DNA origami. AuNPs were assembled along two linear chains on a two-dimensional rectangular DNA origami sheet with well-controlled positions and particle spacing. By rational rolling of the 2D origami template, the AuNPs can be automatically arranged in a helical geometry, suggesting the possibility of achieving engineerable chiral nanomaterials in the visible range. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  12. A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity based on enzyme-controlled gold nanoparticles growth in situ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yan; Zhang, Wei; Liu, Jia; Zhang, Lei; Huang, Wei; Huo, Fengwei; Tian, Danbi

    2015-03-01

    A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity was developed based on one-pot nanoparticle growth. Tween 80 was selected not only as the substrate for lipase recognition but also as the reducing and stabilizing agent for the sensor fabrication. The different molecular groups in Tween 80 could have different roles in the fabrication procedure; the H2O2 produced by the autoxidation of the ethylene oxide subunits in Tween 80 could reduce the AuCl4- ions to Au atoms, meanwhile, the lipase could hydrolyze its carboxyl ester bond, which could, in turn, control the rate of nucleation of the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tailor the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNP transducers. The color changes, which depend on the absence or presence of the lipase, could be used to sense the lipase activity. A linear response ranging from 0.025 to 4 mg mL-1 and a detection limit of the lipase as low as 3.47 μg mL-1 were achieved. This strategy circumvents the problems encountered by general enzyme assays that require sophisticated instruments and complicated assembling steps. The methodology can benefit the assays of heterogeneous-catalyzed enzymes.A plasmonic nanosensor for lipase activity was developed based on one-pot nanoparticle growth. Tween 80 was selected not only as the substrate for lipase recognition but also as the reducing and stabilizing agent for the sensor fabrication. The different molecular groups in Tween 80 could have different roles in the fabrication procedure; the H2O2 produced by the autoxidation of the ethylene oxide subunits in Tween 80 could reduce the AuCl4- ions to Au atoms, meanwhile, the lipase could hydrolyze its carboxyl ester bond, which could, in turn, control the rate of nucleation of the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and tailor the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the AuNP transducers. The color changes, which depend on the absence or presence of the lipase, could be used to sense the lipase activity. A linear response

  13. Silica-covered star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles as new electromagnetic nanoresonators for Raman characterisation of surfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krajczewski, Jan; Kołątaj, Karol; Pietrasik, Sylwia; Kudelski, Andrzej

    2018-03-15

    One of the tools used for determining the composition of surfaces of various materials is shell-isolated nanoparticle-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SHINERS). SHINERS is a modification of "standard" surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), in which, before Raman spectra are recorded, the surfaces analysed are covered with a layer of plasmonic nanoparticles protected by a very thin layer of a transparent dielectric. The plasmonic cores of the core-shell nanoparticles used in SHINERS measurements generate a local enhancement of the electric field of the incident electromagnetic radiation, whereas the transparent coatings prevent the metal cores from coming into direct contact with the material being analysed. In this contribution, we propose a new type of SHINERS nanoresonators that contain spiky, star-shaped metal cores (produced from a gold/silver alloy). These spiky, star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles have been covered by a layer of silica. The small radii of the ends of the tips of the spikes of these plasmonic nanostructures make it possible to generate a very large enhancement of the electromagnetic field there, with the result that such SHINERS nanoresonators are significantly more efficient than the standard semi-spherical nanostructures. The Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles were synthesised by the reduction of a solution containing silver nitrate and chloroauric acid by ascorbic acid. The final geometry of the nanostructures thus formed was controlled by changing the ratio between the concentrations of AuCl 4 - and Ag + ions. The shape of the synthesised star-shaped Au-Ag nanoparticles does not change significantly during the two standard procedures for depositing a layer of silica (by the decomposition of sodium silicate or the decomposition of tetraethyl orthosilicate). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Femtosecond laser generated gold nanoparticles and their plasmonic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, Rupali; Navas, M. P.; Soni, R. K.

    2016-01-01

    The pulsed laser ablation in liquid medium is now commonly used to generate stable colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) in absence of any chemical additives or stabilizer with diverse applications. In this paper, we report generation of gold NPs (Au NPs) by ultra-short laser pulses. Femtosecond (fs) laser radiation (λ = 800 nm) has been used to ablate a gold target in pure de-ionized water to produce gold colloids with smallsize distribution. The average size of the particles can be further controlled by subjecting to laser-induced post-irradiation providing a versatile physical method of size-selected gold nanoparticles. The optical extinction and morphological dimensions were investigated with UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy measurements, respectively. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) method is employed to calculate localized surface plasmon (LSPR) wavelength and the near-field generated by Au NPs and their hybrids.

  15. Light-Triggered Release of DNA from Plasmon-Resonant Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huschka, Ryan

    Plasmon-resonant nanoparticle complexes show promising potential for lighttriggered, controllable delivery of deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) for research and therapeutic purposes. For example, the approach of RNA interference (RNAi) . using antisense DNA or RNA oligonucleotides to silence activity of a specific pathogenic gene transcript and reduce expression of the encoded protein . is very useful in dissecting genetic function and holds promise as a molecular therapeutic. Herein, we investigate the mechanism and probe the in vitro therapeutic potential of DNA light-triggered release from plasmonic nanoparticles. First, we investigate the mechanism of light-triggered release by dehybridizing double-stranded (dsDNA) via laser illumination from two types of nanoparticle substrates: gold (Au) nanoshells and Au nanorods. Both light-triggered and thermally induced releases are distinctly observable from nanoshell-based complexes. Surprisingly, no analogous measurable light-triggered release was observable from nanorod-based complexes below the DNA melting temperature. These results suggest that a nonthermal mechanism may play a role in light-triggered DNA release. Second, we demonstrate the in vitro light-triggered release of molecules noncovalently attached within dsDNA bound to the Au nanoshell surface. DAPI (4',6- diamidino-2-phenylindole), a bright blue fluorescent molecule that binds reversibly to double-stranded DNA, was chosen to visualize this intracellular light-induced release process. Illumination through the cell membrane of the nanoshell-dsDNA-DAPI complexes dehybridizes the DNA and releases the DAPI molecules within living cells. The DAPI molecules diffuse to the nucleus and associate with the cell's endogenous DNA. This work could have future applications towards drug delivery of molecules that associate with dsDNA. Finally, we demonstrate an engineered Au nanoshell (AuNS)-based therapeutic oligonucleotide delivery vehicle, designed to release its cargo on

  16. Plasmonic percolation: Plasmon-manifested dielectric-to-metal transition

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Huanjun

    2012-08-28

    Percolation generally refers to the phenomenon of abrupt variations in electrical, magnetic, or optical properties caused by gradual volume fraction changes of one component across a threshold in bicomponent systems. Percolation behaviors have usually been observed in macroscopic systems, with most studies devoted to electrical percolation. We report on our observation of plasmonic percolation in Au nanorod core-Pd shell nanostructures. When the Pd volume fraction in the shell consisting of palladium and water approaches the plasmonic percolation threshold, ∼70%, the plasmon of the nanostructure transits from red to blue shifts with respect to that of the unshelled Au nanorod. This plasmonic percolation behavior is also confirmed by the scattering measurements on the individual core-shell nanostructures. Quasistatic theory and numerical simulations show that the plasmonic percolation originates from a positive-to-negative transition in the real part of the dielectric function of the shell as the Pd volume fraction is increased. The observed plasmonic percolation is found to be independent of the metal type in the shell. Moreover, compared to the unshelled Au nanorods with similar plasmon wavelengths, the Au nanorod core-Pd shell nanostructures exhibit larger refractive index sensitivities, which is ascribed to the expulsion of the electric field intensity from the Au nanorod core by the adsorbed Pd nanoparticles. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  17. Plasmonic percolation: Plasmon-manifested dielectric-to-metal transition

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Huanjun; Wang, Feng; Li, Kun; Woo, Katchoi; Wang, Jianfang; Li, Quan; Sun, Ling Dong; Zhang, Xixiang; Lin, Haiqing; YAN, Chunhua

    2012-01-01

    Percolation generally refers to the phenomenon of abrupt variations in electrical, magnetic, or optical properties caused by gradual volume fraction changes of one component across a threshold in bicomponent systems. Percolation behaviors have usually been observed in macroscopic systems, with most studies devoted to electrical percolation. We report on our observation of plasmonic percolation in Au nanorod core-Pd shell nanostructures. When the Pd volume fraction in the shell consisting of palladium and water approaches the plasmonic percolation threshold, ∼70%, the plasmon of the nanostructure transits from red to blue shifts with respect to that of the unshelled Au nanorod. This plasmonic percolation behavior is also confirmed by the scattering measurements on the individual core-shell nanostructures. Quasistatic theory and numerical simulations show that the plasmonic percolation originates from a positive-to-negative transition in the real part of the dielectric function of the shell as the Pd volume fraction is increased. The observed plasmonic percolation is found to be independent of the metal type in the shell. Moreover, compared to the unshelled Au nanorods with similar plasmon wavelengths, the Au nanorod core-Pd shell nanostructures exhibit larger refractive index sensitivities, which is ascribed to the expulsion of the electric field intensity from the Au nanorod core by the adsorbed Pd nanoparticles. © 2012 American Chemical Society.

  18. Noble metal nanostructures for double plasmon resonance with tunable properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petr, M.; Kylián, O.; Kuzminova, A.; Kratochvíl, J.; Khalakhan, I.; Hanuš, J.; Biederman, H.

    2017-02-01

    We report and compare two vacuum-based strategies to produce Ag/Au materials characterized by double plasmon resonance peaks: magnetron sputtering and method based on the use of gas aggregation sources (GAS) of nanoparticles. It was observed that the double plasmon resonance peaks may be achieved by both of these methods and that the intensities of individual localized surface plasmon resonance peaks may be tuned by deposition conditions. However, in the case of sputter deposition it was necessary to introduce a separation dielectric interlayer in between individual Ag and Au nanoparticle films which was not the case of films prepared by GAS systems. The differences in the optical properties of sputter deposited bimetallic Ag/Au films and coatings consisted of individual Ag and Au nanoparticles produced by GAS is ascribed to the divers mechanisms of nanoparticles formation.

  19. Photoluminescence enhancement in few-layer WS2 films via Au nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sin Yuk Choi

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Nano-composites of two-dimensional atomic layered WS2 and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs have been fabricated by sulfurization of sputtered W films followed by immersing into HAuCl4 aqueous solution. The morphology, structure and AuNPs distribution have been characterized by electron microscopy. The decorated AuNPs can be more densely formed on the edge and defective sites of triangle WS2. We have compared the optical absorption and photoluminescence of bare WS2 and Au-decorated WS2 layers. Enhancement in the photoluminescence is observed in the Au-WS2 nano-composites, attributed to localized surface plasmonic effect. This work provides the possibility to develop photonic application in two-dimensional materials.

  20. Plasmonic, excitonic and exciton-plasmonic photoinduced nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bityurin, N.; Ermolaev, N.; Smirnov, A. A.; Afanasiev, A.; Agareva, N.; Koryukina, T.; Bredikhin, V.; Kamensky, V.; Pikulin, A.; Sapogova, N.

    2016-03-01

    UV irradiation of materials consisting of a polymer matrix that possesses precursors of different kinds can result in creation of nanoparticles within the irradiated domains. Such photoinduced nanocomposites are promising for photonic applications due to the strong alteration of their optical properties compared to initial non-irradiated materials. We report our results on the synthesis and investigation of plasmonic, excitonic and exciton-plasmonic photoinduced nanocomposites. Plasmonic nanocomposites contain metal nanoparticles of noble metals with a pronounced plasmon resonance. Excitonic nanocomposites possess semiconductor nanoclusters (quantum dots). We consider the CdS-Au pair because the luminescent band of CdS nanoparticles enters the plasmon resonance band of gold nanoparticles. The obtaining of such particles within the same composite materials is promising for the creation of media with exciton-plasmon resonance. We demonstrate that it is possible to choose appropriate precursor species to obtain the initially transparent poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films containing both types of these molecules either separately or together. Proper irradiation of these materials by a light-emitting diode operating at the wavelength of 365 nm provides material alteration demonstrating light-induced optical absorption and photoluminescent properties typical for the corresponding nanoparticles. Thus, an exciton-plasmonic photoinduced nanocomposite is obtained. It is important that here we use the precursors that are different from those usually employed.

  1. and Au nanoparticles for SERS applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fazio Enza

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The morphological and optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles prepared by picosecond laser generated plasmas in water were investigated. First, the ablation efficiency was maximized searching the optimal focusing conditions. The nanoparticle size, measured by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, strongly depends on the laser fluence, keeping fixed the other deposition parameters such as the target to scanner objective distance and laser repetition frequency. STEM images indicate narrow gradients of NP sizes. Hence the optimization of ablation parameters favours a fine tuning of nanoparticles. UV-Visible spectroscopy helped to determine the appropriate laser wavelength to resonantly excite the localized surface plasmon to carry out Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS measurements. The SERS activity of Ag and Au substrates, obtained spraying the colloids synthesized in water, was tested using crystal violet as a probe molecule. The good SERS performance, observed at excitation wavelength 785 nm, is attributed to aggregation phenomena of nanoparticles sprayed on the support.

  2. Effects of plasmon excitation on photocatalytic activity of Ag/TiO 2 and Au/TiO2 nanocomposites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sellappan, Raja; González-Posada, Fernando; Chakarov, Dinko

    2013-01-01

    Model nanocomposite photocatalysts consisting of undoped TiO2 films with optically active Ag or Au nanoparticles (NPs) were designed, fabricated, and examined to address the role of plasmon excitations in their performance. Different composition configurations were tested in which the NPs were ei...

  3. Controlled synthesis of PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers and cap-like Au nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Nana; Li, Lianshan; Huang, Teng; Qi, Limin

    2010-11-01

    Uniform PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers consisting of one Au nanoparticle grown on one horn of a well-defined six-horn PbS nanostar were prepared using the PbS nanostars as growth substrates for the selective deposition of Au nanoparticles. The size of the Au nanoparticles on the horns of the PbS nanostars could be readily adjusted by changing the PbS concentration for the deposition of Au nanoparticles. An optimum cetyltrimethylammonium bromide concentration and temperature were essential for the selective deposition of uniform Au nanoparticles on single horns of the PbS nanostars. Unusual PbS-Au nanoframe-nanoparticle heterodimers were obtained by etching the PbS-Au nanostar-nanoparticle heterodimers with oxalic acid while novel cap-like Au nanoparticles were obtained by etching with hydrochloric acid. The obtained heterodimeric nanostructures and cap-like nanoparticles are promising candidates for anisotropic nanoscale building blocks for the controllable assembly of useful, complex architectures.

  4. Plasmonic nanoparticle scattering for color holograms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montelongo, Yunuen; Tenorio-Pearl, Jaime Oscar; Williams, Calum; Zhang, Shuang; Milne, William Ireland; Wilkinson, Timothy David

    2014-09-02

    This work presents an original approach to create holograms based on the optical scattering of plasmonic nanoparticles. By analogy to the diffraction produced by the scattering of atoms in X-ray crystallography, we show that plasmonic nanoparticles can produce a wave-front reconstruction when they are sampled on a diffractive plane. By applying this method, all of the scattering characteristics of the nanoparticles are transferred to the reconstructed field. Hence, we demonstrate that a narrow-band reconstruction can be achieved for direct white light illumination on an array of plasmonic nanoparticles. Furthermore, multicolor capabilities are shown with minimal cross-talk by multiplexing different plasmonic nanoparticles at subwavelength distances. The holograms were fabricated from a single subwavelength thin film of silver and demonstrate that the total amount of binary information stored in the plane can exceed the limits of diffraction and that this wavelength modulation can be detected optically in the far field.

  5. Plasma processing of the Si(0 0 1) surface for tuning SPR of Au/Si-based plasmonic nanostructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Giangregorio, Maria M. [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy)]. E-mail: michelaria.giangregorio@ba.imip.cnr.it; Losurdo, Maria [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Sacchetti, Alberto [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Capezzuto, Pio [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy); Bruno, Giovanni [Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and of Plasmas, IMIP-CNR and INSTM sez. Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari (Italy)

    2006-12-15

    Au nanoclusters have been deposited on Si(0 0 1) surfaces by sputtering of a metallic Au target using an Ar plasma. Different wet and dry treatments of the Si(0 0 1) surface, including dipping in HF solution and exposure to H{sub 2} and N{sub 2} plasmas, have been applied and the effects of these treatments on the Au nanoparticles/Si interface, the Au nanoclusters aspect ratio and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) energy and amplitude are investigated exploiting spectroscopic ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy. It is found that the Au nanoclusters aspect ratio depends on the extent of the Au-Si intermixing. The thicker the Au-Si interface layer, the larger the Au nanoparticles aspect ratio and the red-shift of the SPR peak. Furthermore, SiO{sub 2} and the H{sub 2} plasma treatment inhibit the Si-Au intermixing, while HF-dipping and the N{sub 2} plasma treatment favour Au-Si intermixing, yielding silicide formation which increases the Si wetting by Au.

  6. Tunable optical properties of plasmonic Au/Al2O3 nanocomposite thin films analyzed by spectroscopic ellipsometry accounting surface characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaiswal, Jyoti; Mourya, Satyendra; Malik, Gaurav; Chandra, Ramesh

    2018-05-01

    In the present work, we have fabricated plasmonic gold/alumina nanocomposite (Au/Al 2 O 3 NC) thin films on a glass substrate at room temperature by RF magnetron co-sputtering. The influence of the film thickness (∼10-40  nm) on the optical and other physical properties of the samples was investigated and correlated with the structural and compositional properties. The X-ray diffractometer measurement revealed the formation of Au nanoparticles with average crystallite size (5-9.2 nm) embedded in an amorphous Al 2 O 3 matrix. The energy-dispersive X ray and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the formation of Au/Al 2 O 3 NC quantitatively and qualitatively and it was observed that atomic% of Au increased by increasing thickness. The optical constants of the plasmonic Au/Al 2 O 3 NC thin films were examined by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry in the wide spectral range of 246-1688 nm, accounting the surface characteristics in the optical stack model, and the obtained results are expected to be unique. Additionally, a thickness-dependent blueshift (631-590 nm) of surface plasmon resonance peak was observed in the absorption spectra. These findings of the plasmonic Au/Al 2 O 3 NC films may allow the design and fabrication of small, compact, and efficient devices for optoelectronic and photonic applications.

  7. Preparation and immobilization of noble metal nanoparticles for plasmonic solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Ruoli; Pitzer, Martin; Hu, DongZhi; Schaadt, Daniel M. [Institut fuer Angewandte Physik, Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie (KIT), Karlsruhe (Germany); DFG Centrum fuer Funktionelle Nanostrukturen (CFN), KIT (Germany); Fruk, Ljiljana [DFG Centrum fuer Funktionelle Nanostrukturen (CFN), KIT (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Thin-film solar cells are of high interest due to good electrical properties and low material consumption. Traditional thin-film cells, however, have considerable transmission losses because of the reduced absorption volume. A promising way to enhance absorption in the active layer is the light-trapping by plasmonic nanostructures. Metallic nanoparticles have in particular shown large enhancement of the photocurrent in thin-film devices. In this poster, we present preparation of Au,Ag and Pt nanoparticles by polyol method and seed mediated methods for use in plasmonic solar cells. Polyol method typically uses ethylene glycol as the solvent and reducing agent,and in seed-mediated synthesis small nanoparticle seeds are first prepared and then used to promote the growth of different shapes of nanoparticles. We particularly focus on the use of nanocubes and nanospheres for solar cell design. Following the nanoparticle preparation, a new method to immobilize particles on GaAs surfaces via covalent chemical bonds has been developed which prevents agglomerations and allows control of the surface density. Photocurrent spectra of GaAs pin solar cells with and without particles have been recorded. These measurements show the dependence of the photocurrent enhancement on particle material, shape and density.

  8. Au Nanoparticle Sub-Monolayers Sandwiched between Sol-Gel Oxide Thin Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Della Gaspera, Enrico; Menin, Enrico; Sada, Cinzia

    2018-01-01

    Sub-monolayers of monodisperse Au colloids with different surface coverage have been embedded in between two different metal oxide thin films, combining sol-gel depositions and proper substrates functionalization processes. The synthetized films were TiO2, ZnO, and NiO. X-ray diffraction shows the crystallinity of all the oxides and verifies the nominal surface coverage of Au colloids. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the metal nanoparticles is affected by both bottom and top oxides: in fact, the SPR peak of Au that is sandwiched between two different oxides is centered between the SPR frequencies of Au sub-monolayers covered with only one oxide, suggesting that Au colloids effectively lay in between the two oxide layers. The desired organization of Au nanoparticles and the morphological structure of the prepared multi-layered structures has been confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses that show a high quality sandwich structure. The multi-layered structures have been also tested as optical gas sensors. PMID:29538338

  9. Synthesis of Core/Shell MnFe2O4/Au Nanoparticles for Advanced Proton Treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jeong Chan

    2014-01-01

    Among many approaches for the surface modification with materials, such as polymers, organic ligands and metals, one of the most attractive ways is using metals. The fabrication of metal-based, monolayer-coated magnetic nanoparticles has been intensively studied. However, the synthesis of metal-capped magnetic nanoparticles with monodIspersities and controllable sizes is still challenged. Recently, gold-capped magnetic nanoparticles have been reported to increase stability and to provide biocompatibility. Magnetic nanoparticle with gold coating is an attractive system, which can be stabilized in biological conditions and readily functionalized through well-established surface modification (Au-S) chemistry. The Au coating offers plasmonic properties to magnetic nanoparticles. The core/shell nanoparticles were transferred from organic to aqueous solutions for biomedical applications. The core/shell structured MnFe 2 O 4 /Au nanoparticles have been prepared and transferred from organic phase to aqueous solutions. The resulting Au-coated nanocrystals may be an attractive system for biomedical applications, which are needed both magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging. The phase transferred core/shell nanoparticles can be decorated with targeting moiety, such as antibodies, peptides, aptamers, small molecules and ligands for biological applications. The proton treatment with the resulting Au-MnFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles is undergoing.

  10. Gold nanoparticles embedded in Ta 2 O 5 /Ta 3 N 5 as active visible-light plasmonic photocatalysts for solar hydrogen evolution

    KAUST Repository

    Luo, Yujing; Liu, Xiaoming; Tang, Xinghua; Luo, Yan; Zeng, Qianyao; Deng, Xiaolei; Ding, Shaolei; Sun, Yiqun

    2014-01-01

    Here, we demonstrate a new recreating photocatalytic activity of a Nano Au/Ta2O5 composite for hydrogen evolution from water as a visible-light-responsive plasmonic photocatalyst by embedding Au nanoparticles in a Ta2O5 host lattice. The Nano Au/Ta2

  11. Au Based Nanocomposites Towards Plasmonic Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panniello, A.; Curri, M. L.; Placido, T.; Reboud, V.; Kehagias, N.; Sotomayor Torres, C. M.; Mecerreyes, D.; Agostiano, A.; Striccoli, M.

    2010-06-01

    Incorporation of nano-sized metals in polymers can transfer their unique features to the host matrix, providing nanocomposite materials with improved optical, electric, magnetic and mechanical properties. In this work, colloidal Au nanorods have been incorporated into PMMA based random co-polymer, properly functionalized with amino groups and the optical and morphological properties of the resulting nanocomposite have been investigated by spectroscopic and AFM measurements. Au nanorods have demonstrated to preserve the plasmon absorption and to retain morphological features upon the incorporation, thus making the final metal modified polymer composite exploitable for the fabrication of plasmonic devices. The prepared nanocomposites have been then patterned by Nano Imprint Lithography technique in order to demonstrate the viability of the materials towards optical applications.

  12. Size-dependent endocytosis of gold nanoparticles studied by three-dimensional mapping of plasmonic scattering images

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Chia-Wei

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding the endocytosis process of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs is important for the drug delivery and photodynamic therapy applications. The endocytosis in living cells is usually studied by fluorescent microscopy. The fluorescent labeling suffers from photobleaching. Besides, quantitative estimation of the cellular uptake is not easy. In this paper, the size-dependent endocytosis of AuNPs was investigated by using plasmonic scattering images without any labeling. Results The scattering images of AuNPs and the vesicles were mapped by using an optical sectioning microscopy with dark-field illumination. AuNPs have large optical scatterings at 550-600 nm wavelengths due to localized surface plasmon resonances. Using an enhanced contrast between yellow and blue CCD images, AuNPs can be well distinguished from cellular organelles. The tracking of AuNPs coated with aptamers for surface mucin glycoprotein shows that AuNPs attached to extracellular matrix and moved towards center of the cell. Most 75-nm-AuNPs moved to the top of cells, while many 45-nm-AuNPs entered cells through endocytosis and accumulated in endocytic vesicles. The amounts of cellular uptake decreased with the increase of particle size. Conclusions We quantitatively studied the endocytosis of AuNPs with different sizes in various cancer cells. The plasmonic scattering images confirm the size-dependent endocytosis of AuNPs. The 45-nm-AuNP is better for drug delivery due to its higher uptake rate. On the other hand, large AuNPs are immobilized on the cell membrane. They can be used to reconstruct the cell morphology.

  13. Gold nanoparticles physicochemically bonded onto tungsten disulfide nanosheet edges exhibit augmented plasmon damping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forcherio, Gregory T.; Dunklin, Jeremy R.; Backes, Claudia; Vaynzof, Yana; Benamara, Mourad; Roper, D. Keith

    2017-07-01

    Augmented plasmonic damping of dipole-resonant gold (Au) nanoparticles (NP) physicochemically bonded onto edges of tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanosheets, ostensibly due to hot electron injection, is quantified using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). EELS allows single-particle spatial resolution. A measured 0.23 eV bandwidth expansion of the localized surface plasmon resonance upon covalent bonding of 20 nm AuNP to WS2 edges was deemed significant by Welch's t-test. Approximately 0.19 eV of the measured 0.23 eV expansion went beyond conventional radiative and nonradiative damping mechanisms according to discrete dipole models, ostensibly indicating emergence of hot electron transport from AuNP into the WS2. A quantum efficiency of up to 11±5% spanning a 7 fs transfer process across the optimized AuNP-TMD ohmic junction is conservatively calculated. Putative hot electron transport for AuNP physicochemically bonded to TMD edges exceeded that for AuNP physically deposited onto the TMD basal plane. This arose from contributions due to (i) direct physicochemical bond between AuNP and WS2; (ii) AuNP deposition at TMD edge sites; and (iii) lower intrinsic Schottky barrier. This improves understanding of photo-induced doping of TMD by metal NP which could benefit emerging catalytic and optoelectronic applications.

  14. Highly Controlled Synthesis and Super-Radiant Photoluminescence of Plasmonic Cube-in-Cube Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jeong-Eun; Kim, Sungi; Son, Jiwoong; Lee, Yeonhee; Nam, Jwa-Min

    2016-12-14

    The plasmonic properties of metal nanostructures have been heavily utilized for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), but the direct photoluminescence (PL) from plasmonic metal nanostructures, especially with plasmonic coupling, has not been widely used as much as SERS and MEF due to the lack of understanding of the PL mechanism, relatively weak signals, and the poor availability of the synthetic methods for the nanostructures with strong PL signals. The direct PL from metal nanostructures is beneficial if these issues can be addressed because it does not exhibit photoblinking or photobleaching, does not require dye-labeling, and can be employed as a highly reliable optical signal that directly depends on nanostructure morphology. Herein, we designed and synthesized plasmonic cube-in-cube (CiC) nanoparticles (NPs) with a controllable interior nanogap in a high yield from Au nanocubes (AuNCs). In synthesizing the CiC NPs, we developed a galvanic void formation (GVF) process, composed of replacement/reduction and void formation steps. We unraveled the super-radiant character of the plasmonic coupling-induced plasmon mode which can result in highly enhanced PL intensity and long-lasting PL, and the PL mechanisms of these structures were analyzed and matched with the plasmon hybridization model. Importantly, the PL intensity and quantum yield (QY) of CiC NPs are 31 times and 16 times higher than those of AuNCs, respectively, which have shown the highest PL intensity and QY reported for metallic nanostructures. Finally, we confirmed the long-term photostability of the PL signal, and the signal remained stable for at least 1 h under continuous illumination.

  15. Formation of Au nanoparticles in sapphire by using Ar ion implantation and thermal annealing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, L.H.; Zhang, C.H.; Yang, Y.T.; Li, B.S.; Zhang, L.Q.; Fu, Y.C.; Zhang, H.H.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, we present results of the synthesis of gold nanoclusters in sapphire, using Ar ion implantation and annealing in air. Unlike the conventional method of Au implantation followed by thermal annealing, Au was deposited on the surface of m- and a- cut sapphire single crystal samples including those pre-implanted with Ar ions. Au atoms were brought into the substrate by subsequent implantation of Ar ions to form Au nanoparticles. Samples were finally annealed stepwisely in air at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800 deg. C and then studied using UV-vis absorption spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and Rutherford backscattered spectrometry. Evidence of the formation Au nanoparticles in the sapphire can be obtained from the characteristic surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption band in the optical absorption spectra or directly from the transmission electron microscopy. The results of optical absorption spectra indicate that the specimen orientations and pre-implantation also influence the size and the volume fraction of Au nanoparticles formed. Theoretical calculations using Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory supply a good interpretation of the optical absorption results.

  16. Nonlinear bleaching, absorption, and scattering of 532-nm-irradiated plasmonic nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liberman, V.; Sworin, M.; Kingsborough, R. P.; Geurtsen, G. P.; Rothschild, M.

    2013-01-01

    Single-pulse irradiation of Au and Ag suspensions of nanospheres and nanodisks with 532-nm 4-ns pulses has identified complex optical nonlinearities while minimizing material damage. For all materials tested, we observe competition between saturable absorption (SA) and reverse SA (RSA), with RSA behavior dominating for intensities above ∼50 MW/cm 2 . Due to reduced laser damage in single-pulse experiments, the observed intrinsic nonlinear absorption coefficients are the highest reported to date for Au nanoparticles. We find size dependence to the nonlinear absorption enhancement for Au nanoparticles, peaking in magnitude for 80-nm nanospheres and falling off at larger sizes. The nonlinear absorption coefficients for Au and Ag spheres are comparable in magnitude. On the other hand, the nonlinear absorption for Ag disks, when corrected for volume fraction, is several times higher. These trends in nonlinear absorption are correlated to local electric field enhancement through quasi-static mean-field theory. Through variable size aperture measurements, we also separate nonlinear scattering from nonlinear absorption. For all materials tested, we find that nonlinear scattering is highly directional and that its magnitude is comparable to that of nonlinear absorption. These results indicate methods to improve the efficacy of plasmonic nanoparticles as optical limiters in pulsed laser systems.

  17. Hot Carrier Generation and Extraction of Plasmonic Alloy Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valenti, Marco; Venugopal, Anirudh; Tordera, Daniel; Jonsson, Magnus P; Biskos, George; Schmidt-Ott, Andreas; Smith, Wilson A

    2017-05-17

    The conversion of light to electrical and chemical energy has the potential to provide meaningful advances to many aspects of daily life, including the production of energy, water purification, and optical sensing. Recently, plasmonic nanoparticles (PNPs) have been increasingly used in artificial photosynthesis (e.g., water splitting) devices in order to extend the visible light utilization of semiconductors to light energies below their band gap. These nanoparticles absorb light and produce hot electrons and holes that can drive artificial photosynthesis reactions. For n-type semiconductor photoanodes decorated with PNPs, hot charge carriers are separated by a process called hot electron injection (HEI), where hot electrons with sufficient energy are transferred to the conduction band of the semiconductor. An important parameter that affects the HEI efficiency is the nanoparticle composition, since the hot electron energy is sensitive to the electronic band structure of the metal. Alloy PNPs are of particular importance for semiconductor/PNPs composites, because by changing the alloy composition their absorption spectra can be tuned to accurately extend the light absorption of the semiconductor. This work experimentally compares the HEI efficiency from Ag, Au, and Ag/Au alloy nanoparticles to TiO 2 photoanodes for the photoproduction of hydrogen. Alloy PNPs not only exhibit tunable absorption but can also improve the stability and electronic and catalytic properties of the pure metal PNPs. In this work, we find that the Ag/Au alloy PNPs extend the stability of Ag in water to larger applied potentials while, at the same time, increasing the interband threshold energy of Au. This increasing of the interband energy of Au suppresses the visible-light-induced interband excitations, favoring intraband excitations that result in higher hot electron energies and HEI efficiencies.

  18. Plasmon resonance enhanced photocatalysis under visible light with Au/Cu-TiO2 nanoparticles: Removal Cr (VI) from water as a case of study

    KAUST Repository

    Gondal, M. A.; Dastageer, Mohamed Abdulkader; Rashid, Shama G.; Zubair, Syed M.; Ali, Mohammada A.; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Lienhard V, John H.; McKinley, Gareth H.; Varanasi, Kripa K.

    2013-01-01

    Gold modified copper doped titania (Au/Cu:TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified sol gel method and characterized using XRD, optical and TEM based techniques. The as-prepared material contained anatase phase particles with quasi-spherical morphology, showing enhanced absorption in the visible region and low photoluminescence emission intensity. Photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) in aqueous suspension with the Au/Cu:TiO2catalyst under 532 nm laser radiation and a visible broad band lamp source yielded 96% and 45% removal, respectively, without any additives. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the improved plasmonic effect due to gold modification and the expanded visible absorption due to copper doping. Moreover a comparative study of the material properties and catalytic activity of TiO2, Cu-TiO2and Au/Cu-TiO2 was carried out. © 2013 by American Scientific Publishers.

  19. Plasmon resonance enhanced photocatalysis under visible light with Au/Cu-TiO2 nanoparticles: Removal Cr (VI) from water as a case of study

    KAUST Repository

    Gondal, M. A.

    2013-12-01

    Gold modified copper doped titania (Au/Cu:TiO2) nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified sol gel method and characterized using XRD, optical and TEM based techniques. The as-prepared material contained anatase phase particles with quasi-spherical morphology, showing enhanced absorption in the visible region and low photoluminescence emission intensity. Photocatalytic reduction of Cr (VI) in aqueous suspension with the Au/Cu:TiO2catalyst under 532 nm laser radiation and a visible broad band lamp source yielded 96% and 45% removal, respectively, without any additives. The enhanced photocatalytic activity can be attributed to the improved plasmonic effect due to gold modification and the expanded visible absorption due to copper doping. Moreover a comparative study of the material properties and catalytic activity of TiO2, Cu-TiO2and Au/Cu-TiO2 was carried out. © 2013 by American Scientific Publishers.

  20. Photoacoustic signal amplification through plasmonic nanoparticle aggregation

    OpenAIRE

    Bayer, Carolyn L.; Nam, Seung Yun; Chen, Yun-Sheng; Emelianov, Stanislav Y.

    2013-01-01

    Photoacoustic imaging, using targeted plasmonic metallic nanoparticles, is a promising noninvasive molecular imaging method. Analysis of the photoacoustic signal generated by plasmonic metallic nanoparticles is complex because of the dependence upon physical properties of both the nanoparticle and the surrounding environment. We studied the effect of the aggregation of gold nanoparticles on the photoacoustic signal amplitude. We found that the photoacoustic signal from aggregated silica-coate...

  1. Structural characterization and plasmonic properties of two-dimensional arrays of hydrophobic large gold nanoparticles fabricated by Langmuir-Blodgett technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ishida, Takuya; Tachikiri, Yuki; Sako, Takayuki [Department of Materials Physics and Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Takahashi, Yukina, E-mail: yukina@mail.cstm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Yamada, Sunao, E-mail: yamada@mail.cstm.kyushu-u.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan); Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Moto-oka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395 (Japan)

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • Hydrophobic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by our method were large and stable enough. • Two-dimensional (2D) arrays of the AuNPs were obtained by Langmuir-Blodgett method with polyethylene glycol. • The plasmon resonant wavelength of the 2D arrays can be controlled by the diameter. - Abstract: We have succeeded in fabricating two-dimensional (2D) arrays of larger gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) (diameters 17, 28, and 48 nm) by Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. Although the particle size of AuNPs is one of the most important factors in order to control the optical properties of 2D arrays, there have been reported only the size of less than ∼20 nm. This is a first report on the bottom-up fabrication of 2D arrays consisting of hydrophobic AuNP with the diameter of ∼50 nm, of which the size is expected to obtain maximum near-field effects. Octadecylthiolate-capped AuNPs (ODT-AuNPs) which were prepared by our method could be re-dispersed in chloroform even after drying completely, realizing the spreading of the colloidal chloroform solution onto the water surface. Accordingly, densely-packed 2D LB films of ODT-AuNPs could be fabricated on an indium-tin-oxide substrate, when water as the subphase and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an amphiphilic agent were used. PEG played an important role to form densely-packed film uniformly due to increasing affinity between hydrophobic AuNP and water. Absorption spectra of the films revealed that the resonance wavelengths of plasmon oscillation through interparticle plasmon coupling were clearly correlated with the particle sizes rather than deposition densities.

  2. Electrophoretic deposition on graphene of Au nanoparticles generated by laser ablation of a bulk Au target in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Semaltianos, N G; Hendry, E; Chang, H; Wears, M L

    2015-01-01

    The characteristic property of nanoparticles generated by laser ablation of metallic targets in liquids to be surface electrically charged can be exploited for the deposition of the nanoparticles onto electrically conducting substrates directly from the synthesized colloidal solution by using the method of electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The method benefits from the high quality of the interface between the deposited nanoparticles and the substrate due to the ligand-free nanoparticle surfaces and thus providing hybrid materials with advanced and novel properties. In this letter, an Au bulk target was laser ablated in deionized (DI) water for the generation of an Au nanoparticle colloidal solution. Under the present conditions of ablation, nanoparticles with diameters from 4 and up to 67 nm are formed in the solution with 80% of the nanoparticles having diameters below ∼20 nm. Their size distribution follows a log-normal function with a median diameter of 8.6 nm. The nanoparticles were deposited onto graphene on a quartz surface by anodic EPD performed at 30 V for 20 min and a longer time of 1 h. A quite uniform surface distribution of the nanoparticles was achieved with surface densities ranging from ∼15 to ∼40 nanoparticles per μm 2 . The hybrid materials exhibit clearly the plasmon resonance absorption of the Au nanoparticles. Deposition for short times preserves the integrity of graphene while longer time deposition leads to the conversion of graphene to graphene oxide, which is attributed to the electrochemical oxidation of graphene. (letter)

  3. Gold nanoparticles physicochemically bonded onto tungsten disulfide nanosheet edges exhibit augmented plasmon damping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gregory T. Forcherio

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Augmented plasmonic damping of dipole-resonant gold (Au nanoparticles (NP physicochemically bonded onto edges of tungsten disulfide (WS2 nanosheets, ostensibly due to hot electron injection, is quantified using electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS. EELS allows single-particle spatial resolution. A measured 0.23 eV bandwidth expansion of the localized surface plasmon resonance upon covalent bonding of 20 nm AuNP to WS2 edges was deemed significant by Welch’s t-test. Approximately 0.19 eV of the measured 0.23 eV expansion went beyond conventional radiative and nonradiative damping mechanisms according to discrete dipole models, ostensibly indicating emergence of hot electron transport from AuNP into the WS2. A quantum efficiency of up to 11±5% spanning a 7 fs transfer process across the optimized AuNP-TMD ohmic junction is conservatively calculated. Putative hot electron transport for AuNP physicochemically bonded to TMD edges exceeded that for AuNP physically deposited onto the TMD basal plane. This arose from contributions due to (i direct physicochemical bond between AuNP and WS2; (ii AuNP deposition at TMD edge sites; and (iii lower intrinsic Schottky barrier. This improves understanding of photo-induced doping of TMD by metal NP which could benefit emerging catalytic and optoelectronic applications.

  4. Plasmon-polariton modes of dense Au nanowire arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Hongdan; Lemmens, Peter; Wulferding, Dirk; Cetin, Mehmet Fatih [IPKM, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); Tornow, Sabine; Zwicknagl, Gertrud [IMP, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany); Krieg, Ulrich; Pfnuer, Herbert [IFP, LU Hannover (Germany); Daum, Winfried; Lilienkamp, Gerhard [IEPT, TU Clausthal (Germany); Schilling, Meinhard [EMG, TU-BS, Braunschweig (Germany)

    2011-07-01

    Using optical absorption and other techniques we study plasmon-polariton modes of dense Au nanowire arrays as function of geometrical parameters and coupling to molecular degrees of freedom. For this instance we electrochemically deposit Au nanowires in porous alumina with well controlled morphology and defect concentration. Transverse and longitudinal modes are observed in the absorption spectra resulting from the anisotropic plasmonic structure. The longitudinal mode shows a blue shift of energy with increasing length of the wires due to the more collective nature of this response. We compare our observations with model calculations and corresponding results on 2D Ag nanowire lattices.

  5. Growth and size distribution of Au nanoparticles in annealed Au/TiO{sub 2} thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Reymond-Laruinaz, S.; Saviot, L.; Potin, V. [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), UMR 6303 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne, 9 Av. A. Savary, BP 47 870, F-21078 Dijon Cedex (France); Lopes, C.; Vaz, F. [Centro de Física, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga (Portugal); Marco de Lucas, M.C., E-mail: delucas@u-bourgogne.fr [Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), UMR 6303 CNRS-Université de Bourgogne, 9 Av. A. Savary, BP 47 870, F-21078 Dijon Cedex (France)

    2014-02-28

    Nanocomposites consisting of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in TiO{sub 2} thin films are of great interest for applications in optoelectronics, photocatalysis and solar-cells for which the plasmonic properties of the metal NPs play a major role. This work investigates the first stages of the formation of gold NPs by thermal annealing of Au-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films grown by magnetron sputtering. A low concentration of gold in the films is considered (5 at.%) in order to study the first stages of the formation of the NPs. Raman spectroscopy is used to follow the crystallization of TiO{sub 2} when increasing the annealing temperature. In addition, low-frequency Raman scattering (LFRS) is used to investigate the formation of gold NPs and to determine their size. Resonant LFRS measurements obtained by using a laser wavelength matching the surface plasmon resonance of the metallic NPs significantly enhances the Raman peak intensity enabling to focus on the first stages of the NPs formation. A double size distribution is observed at T{sub a} = 800 °C calling for additional investigations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM observations reveal an inhomogeneous in-depth size distribution of gold NPs. The annealed films are structured in two sublayers with bigger NPs at the bottom and smaller NPs at the top. At T{sub a} = 800 °C, a double size distribution is confirmed near the surface. A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the sublayers. The modification of the diffusion of gold atoms by stresses in the film near the substrate is assumed to be responsible for the observed two layers structure. - Highlights: • Gold-doped TiO{sub 2} thin films were grown by magnetron sputtering. • The first stages of the formation of Au nanoparticles after annealing are studied. • Au nanoparticles and crystallized TiO{sub 2} are observed above 400 °C. • The size distribution of the gold nanoparticles is complex and depth-dependent.

  6. Enhanced photoelectrochemical response of plasmonic Au embedded BiVO4/Fe2O3 heterojunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Anuradha; Srivastav, Anupam; Khan, Saif A; Rani Satsangi, Vibha; Shrivastav, Rohit; Kumar Avasthi, Devesh; Dass, Sahab

    2017-06-14

    The effect of embedding Au nanoparticles (NPs) in a BiVO 4 /Fe 2 O 3 heterojunction for photoelectrochemical water splitting is studied here for the first time. The present nanostructured heterojunction offers three major advantages over pristine BiVO 4 and Fe 2 O 3 : (i) the formation of a heterojunction between BiVO 4 and Fe 2 O 3 enhances the charge carrier separation and transfer, (ii) the layer of Fe 2 O 3 provides protection to BiVO 4 from photocorrosion and, (iii) the Au NPs possessing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) enhance the photoelectrochemical response by transferring energy to metal oxides by hot electron transfer (HET) and plasmon resonant energy transfer (PRET). The present study reveals that the heterojunction ITO/BiVO 4 /Fe 2 O 3 (with 32% v/v Au solution in both layers) gives the best performance and mitigates the limitations of both pristine Fe 2 O 3 and BiVO 4 . A thirteen-fold increment in applied bias photon-to-current conversion efficiency (ABPE) was observed at 1.24 V vs. RHE under the condition of 1 Sun illumination. Monochromatic incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) measurements indicated that an Au embedded heterojunction is more effective in harvesting visible light in comparison to a heterojunction without Au NPs.

  7. Fast optoelectric printing of plasmonic nanoparticles into tailored circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigo, José A.

    2017-04-01

    Plasmonic nanoparticles are able to control light at nanometre-scale by coupling electromagnetic fields to the oscillations of free electrons in metals. Deposition of such nanoparticles onto substrates with tailored patterns is essential, for example, in fabricating plasmonic structures for enhanced sensing. This work presents an innovative micro-patterning technique, based on optoelectic printing, for fast and straightforward fabrication of curve-shaped circuits of plasmonic nanoparticles deposited onto a transparent electrode often used in optoelectronics, liquid crystal displays, touch screens, etc. We experimentally demonstrate that this kind of plasmonic structure, printed by using silver nanoparticles of 40 nm, works as a plasmonic enhanced optical device allowing for polarized-color-tunable light scattering in the visible. These findings have potential applications in biosensing and fabrication of future optoelectronic devices combining the benefits of plasmonic sensing and the functionality of transparent electrodes.

  8. Colloidal Plasmonic Titanium Nitride Nanoparticles: Properties and Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guler Urcan

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Optical properties of colloidal plasmonic titanium nitride nanoparticles are examined with an eye on their photothermal and photocatalytic applications via transmission electron microscopy and optical transmittance measurements. Single crystal titanium nitride cubic nanoparticles with an average size of 50 nm, which was found to be the optimum size for cellular uptake with gold nanoparticles [1], exhibit plasmon resonance in the biological transparency window and demonstrate a high absorption efficiency. A self-passivating native oxide at the surface of the nanoparticles provides an additional degree of freedom for surface functionalization. The titanium oxide shell surrounding the plasmonic core can create new opportunities for photocatalytic applications.

  9. Plasmonic response and SERS modulation in electrochemical applied potentials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martino, G. Di; Turek, V. A.; Tserkezis, Christos

    2017-01-01

    We study the optical response of individual nm-wide plasmonic nanocavities using a nanoparticle-on-mirror design utilised as an electrode in an electrochemical cell. In this geometry Au nanoparticles are separated from a bulk Au film by an ultrathin molecular spacer, giving intense and stable Ram...

  10. Plasmonic Aerogels as a Three-Dimensional Nanoscale Platform for Solar Fuel Photocatalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeSario, Paul A; Pietron, Jeremy J; Dunkelberger, Adam; Brintlinger, Todd H; Baturina, Olga; Stroud, Rhonda M; Owrutsky, Jeffrey C; Rolison, Debra R

    2017-09-19

    We use plasmonic Au-TiO 2 aerogels as a platform in which to marry synthetically thickened particle-particle junctions in TiO 2 aerogel networks to Au∥TiO 2 interfaces and then investigate their cooperative influence on photocatalytic hydrogen (H 2 ) generation under both broadband (i.e., UV + visible light) and visible-only excitation. In doing so, we elucidate the dual functions that incorporated Au can play as a water reduction cocatalyst and as a plasmonic sensitizer. We also photodeposit non-plasmonic Pt cocatalyst nanoparticles into our composite aerogels in order to leverage the catalytic water-reducing abilities of Pt. This Au-TiO 2 /Pt arrangement in three dimensions effectively utilizes conduction-band electrons injected into the TiO 2 aerogel network upon exciting the Au SPR at the Au∥TiO 2 interface. The extensive nanostructured high surface-area oxide network in the aerogel provides a matrix that spatially separates yet electrochemically connects plasmonic nanoparticle sensitizers and metal nanoparticle catalysts, further enhancing solar-fuels photochemistry. We compare the photocatalytic rates of H 2 generation with and without Pt cocatalysts added to Au-TiO 2 aerogels and demonstrate electrochemical linkage of the SPR-generated carriers at the Au∥TiO 2 interfaces to downfield Pt nanoparticle cocatalysts. Finally, we investigate visible light-stimulated generation of conduction band electrons in Au-TiO 2 and TiO 2 aerogels using ultrafast visible pump/IR probe spectroscopy. Substantially more electrons are produced at Au-TiO 2 aerogels due to the incorporated SPR-active Au nanoparticle, whereas the smaller population of electrons generated at Au-free TiO 2 aerogels likely originate at shallow traps in the high surface-area mesoporous aerogel.

  11. Plasmon transmutation: inducing new modes in nanoclusters by adding dielectric nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Fangfang; Ye, Jian; Liu, Na; Van Dorpe, Pol; Nordlander, Peter; Halas, Naomi J

    2012-09-12

    Planar clusters of coupled plasmonic nanoparticles support nanoscale electromagnetic "hot spots" and coherent effects, such as Fano resonances, with unique near and far field signatures, currently of prime interest for sensing applications. Here we show that plasmonic cluster properties can be substantially modified by the addition of individual, discrete dielectric nanoparticles at specific locations on the cluster, introducing new plasmon modes, or transmuting existing plasmon modes to new ones, in the resulting metallodielectric nanocomplex. Depositing a single carbon nanoparticle in the junction between a pair of adjacent nanodisks induces a metal-dielectric-metal quadrupolar plasmon mode. In a ten-membered cluster, placement of several carbon nanoparticles in junctions between multiple adjacent nanoparticles introduces a collective magnetic plasmon mode into the Fano dip, giving rise to an additional subradiant mode in the metallodielectric nanocluster response. These examples illustrate that adding dielectric nanoparticles to metallic nanoclusters expands the number and types of plasmon modes supported by these new mixed-media nanoscale assemblies.

  12. Plasmon mediated enhancement and tuning of optical emission properties of two dimensional graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayan, Sayan; Gogurla, Narendar; Midya, Anupam; Singha, Achintya; Ray, Samit K

    2017-12-01

    We demonstrate surface plasmon induced enhancement and tunablilty in optical emission properties of two dimensional graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) nanosheets through the attachment of gold (Au) nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopy has revealed surface enhanced Raman scattering that arises due to the combined effect of the charge transfer process and localized surface plasmon induced enhancement in electromagnetic field, both occurring at the nanoparticle-nanosheet interface. Photoluminescence studies suggest that at an optimal concentration of nanoparticles, the emission intensity can be enhanced, which is maximum within the 500-525 nm region. Further, the fabricated electroluminescent devices reveal that the emission feature can be tuned from bluish-green to red (∼160 nm shift) upon attaching Au nanoparticles. We propose that the π*→π transition in g-C 3 N 4 can trigger surface plasmon oscillation in Au, which subsequently increases the excitation process in the nanosheets and results in enhanced emission in the green region of the photoluminescence spectrum. On the other hand, electroluminescence of g-C 3 N 4 can induce plasmon oscillation more efficiently and thus can lead to red emission from Au nanoparticles through the radiative damping of particle plasmons. The influence of nanoparticle size and coverage on the emission properties of two dimensional g-C 3 N 4 , nanosheets has also been studied in detail.

  13. A new bimetallic plasmonic photocatalyst consisting of gold(core)-copper(shell) nanoparticle and titanium(IV) oxide support

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sato, Yuichi [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Naya, Shin-ichi [Environmental Research Laboratory, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Tada, Hiroaki, E-mail: h-tada@apch.kindai.ac.jp [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Environmental Research Laboratory, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashi-Osaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

    2015-10-01

    Ultrathin Cu layers (∼2 atomic layers) have been selectively formed on the Au surfaces of Au nanoparticle-loaded rutile TiO{sub 2} (Au@Cu/TiO{sub 2}) by a deposition precipitation-photodeposition technique. Cyclic voltammetry and photochronopotentiometry measurements indicate that the reaction proceeds via the underpotential deposition. The ultrathin Cu shell drastically increases the activity of Au/TiO{sub 2} for the selective oxidation of amines to the corresponding aldehydes under visible-light irradiation (λ > 430 nm). Photochronoamperometry measurements strongly suggest that the striking Cu shell effect stems from the enhancement of the charge separation in the localized surface plasmon resonance-excited Au/TiO{sub 2}.

  14. A new bimetallic plasmonic photocatalyst consisting of gold(core-copper(shell nanoparticle and titanium(IV oxide support

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuichi Sato

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Ultrathin Cu layers (∼2 atomic layers have been selectively formed on the Au surfaces of Au nanoparticle-loaded rutile TiO2 (Au@Cu/TiO2 by a deposition precipitation-photodeposition technique. Cyclic voltammetry and photochronopotentiometry measurements indicate that the reaction proceeds via the underpotential deposition. The ultrathin Cu shell drastically increases the activity of Au/TiO2 for the selective oxidation of amines to the corresponding aldehydes under visible-light irradiation (λ > 430 nm. Photochronoamperometry measurements strongly suggest that the striking Cu shell effect stems from the enhancement of the charge separation in the localized surface plasmon resonance-excited Au/TiO2.

  15. Summary of gold nanoparticles obtained by reduction Au3+

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corzo Lucioni, Alberto

    2012-01-01

    In the present investigation were synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) of gold by oxidation-reduction reactions at boiling temperature, starting from dilute solutions of acid tetrachloroauric: H[AuCl 4 ].3H 2 O as a precursor in the presence of organic reducing agents such as trisodium citrate: Na 3 C 6 H 5 O 7 .2H 2 O; potassium sodium tartrate: KNaC 4 H 4 O 6 .4H 2 O and sodium borohydride: inorganic reducing agent NaBH 4 . With the aim of evaluating the particle size according to the type of reducing agent, is designed a series of experiments in which the reducing agent is changed, keeping it constant concentrations, but varying the concentration of H[AuCl 4 ]. The particle size and the absorbance of the plasmon Au were measured in a particle size analyzer and a UV - visible, respectively. In turn, the effect of pH variation on the size of the NP Au, maintaining concentrations of H [AuCl 4 ] constant and reducing agent trisodium citrate, at different pH values under the same conditions. (author).

  16. Hybrid, silica-coated, Janus-like plasmonic-magnetic nanoparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Sotiriou, Georgios A.; Hirt, Ann M.; Lozach, Pierre-Yves; Teleki, Alexandra; Krumeich, Frank; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

    2011-01-01

    Hybrid plasmonic-magnetic nanoparticles possess properties that are attractive in bioimaging, targeted drug delivery, in vivo diagnosis and therapy. The stability and toxicity, however, of such nanoparticles challenge their safe use today. Here, biocompatible, SiO2-coated, Janus-like Ag/Fe2O3 nanoparticles are prepared by one-step, scalable flame aerosol technology. A nanothin SiO2 shell around these multifunctional nanoparticles leaves intact their morphology, magnetic and plasmonic properti...

  17. Plasmon-Resonant Nanoparticles and Nanostars With Magnetic Cores: Synthesis and Magnetomotive Imaging

    OpenAIRE

    Song, Hyon-Min; Wei, Qingshan; Ong, Quy K.; Wei, Alexander

    2010-01-01

    Plasmon-resonant gold nanostars (NSTs) with magnetic cores were synthesized by a multistep sequence from superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs), and evaluated as optical contrast agents under magnetomotive (MM) imaging conditions. Core–shell Fe3O4@Au NPs were prepared in nonpolar organic solvents with nanometer control over shell thickness, and with good epitaxy to the Fe3O4 surface. Anisotropic growth was performed in micellar solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) under mil...

  18. Au plasmon enhanced high performance β-Ga2O3 solar-blind photo-detector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuehua An

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Surface plasmon polariton (SPP is electro-magnetic wave coupled to free electron oscillations near the surface of metal, and has been used to improve the photoelectric properties in many optoelectronic devices. In the present study, the Au nanoparticles (NPs/β-Ga2O3 composite thin film was fabricated through depositing Au ultra-thin film on the β-Ga2O3 thin film followed by post-thermal treatment. Compared to bare β-Ga2O3 thin film, a significant absorption around 510 nm, which is attributed to SPP of Au NPs, was observed in the UV–vis spectrum of Au NPs/β-Ga2O3 composite thin film. The results showed that the photoresponse of Au NPs/Ga2O3 photodetector illuminated under 254 nm+532 nm light was much higher than that illuminated under 254 nm light, indicating an enhancement of photoelectric property for the solar-blind photodetector based on β-Ga2O3 thin film.

  19. Plasmon polaritons in cubic lattices of spherical metallic nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamowski, Simon; Mann, Charlie-Ray; Hellbach, Felicitas; Mariani, Eros; Weick, Guillaume; Pauly, Fabian

    2018-03-01

    We theoretically investigate plasmon polaritons in cubic lattices of spherical metallic nanoparticles. The nanoparticles, each supporting triply-degenerate localized surface plasmons, couple through the Coulomb dipole-dipole interaction, giving rise to collective plasmons that extend over the whole metamaterial. The latter hybridize with photons forming plasmon polaritons, which are the hybrid light-matter eigenmodes of the system. We derive general analytical expressions to evaluate both plasmon and plasmon-polariton dispersions and the corresponding eigenstates. These are obtained within a Hamiltonian formalism, which takes into account retardation effects in the dipolar interaction between the nanoparticles and considers the dielectric properties of the nanoparticles as well as their surrounding. Within this model we predict polaritonic splittings in the near-infrared to the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum that depend on polarization, lattice symmetry, and wave-vector direction. Finally, we show that the predictions of our model are in excellent quantitative agreement with conventional finite-difference frequency-domain simulations, but with the advantages of analytical insight and significantly reduced computational cost.

  20. Dynamic Control of Plasmon-Exciton Coupling in Au Nanodisk–J-Aggregate Hybrid Nanostructure Arrays

    KAUST Repository

    Zheng, Yue Bing; Juluri, Bala Krishna; Jensen, Linlin; Jensen, Lasse; Huang, Tony Jun

    2009-01-01

    We report the dynamic control of plasmon-exciton coupling in Au nanodisk arrays adsorbed with J-aggregate molecules by incident angle of light. The angle-resolved spectra of an array of bare Au nanodisks exhibit continuous shifting of localized surface plasmon resonances. This characteristic enables the production of real-time, controllable spectral overlaps between molecular and plasmonic resonances, and the efficient measurement of plasmon-exciton coupling as a function of wavelength with one or fewer nanodisk arrays. Experimental observations of varying plasmon-exciton coupling match with coupled dipole approximation calculations.

  1. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy with Au-nanoparticle substrate fabricated by using femtosecond pulse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wending; Li, Cheng; Gao, Kun; Lu, Fanfan; Liu, Min; Li, Xin; Zhang, Lu; Mao, Dong; Gao, Feng; Huang, Ligang; Mei, Ting; Zhao, Jianlin

    2018-05-01

    Au-nanoparticle (Au-NP) substrates for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) were fabricated by grid-like scanning a Au-film using a femtosecond pulse. The Au-NPs were directly deposited on the Au-film surface due to the scanning process. The experimentally obtained Au-NPs presented local surface plasmon resonance effect in the visible spectral range, as verified by finite difference time domain simulations and measured reflection spectrum. The SERS experiment using the Au-NP substrates exhibited high activity and excellent substrate reproducibility and stability, and a clearly present Raman spectra of target analytes, e.g. Rhodamine-6G, Rhodamine-B and Malachite green, with concentrations down to 10‑9 M. This work presents an effective approach to producing Au-NP SERS substrates with advantages in activity, reproducibility and stability, which could be used in a wide variety of practical applications for trace amount detection.

  2. Tunable UV- and Visible-Light Photoresponse Based on p-ZnO Nanostructures/n-ZnO/Glass Peppered with Au Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Cheng-Liang; Lin, Yu-Hong; Wang, Liang-Kai; Hsueh, Ting-Jen; Chang, Sheng-Po; Chang, Shoou-Jinn

    2017-05-03

    UV- and visible-light photoresponse was achieved via p-type K-doped ZnO nanowires and nanosheets that were hydrothermally synthesized on an n-ZnO/glass substrate and peppered with Au nanoparticles. The K content of the p-ZnO nanostructures was 0.36 atom %. The UV- and visible-light photoresponse of the p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO sample was roughly 2 times higher than that of the ZnO nanowires. The Au nanoparticles of various densities and diameter sizes were deposited on the p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO samples by a simple UV photochemical reaction method yielding a tunable and enhanced UV- and visible-light photoresponse. The maximum UV and visible photoresponse of the Au nanoparticle sample was obtained when the diameter size of the Au nanoparticle was approximately 5-35 nm. On the basis of the localized surface plasmon resonance effect, the UV, blue, and green photocurrent/dark current ratios of Au nanoparticle/p-ZnO nanostructures/n-ZnO are ∼1165, ∼94.6, and ∼9.7, respectively.

  3. Plasmonic resonances of nanoparticles from large-scale quantum mechanical simulations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xu; Xiang, Hongping; Zhang, Mingliang; Lu, Gang

    2017-09-01

    Plasmonic resonance of metallic nanoparticles results from coherent motion of its conduction electrons, driven by incident light. For the nanoparticles less than 10 nm in diameter, localized surface plasmonic resonances become sensitive to the quantum nature of the conduction electrons. Unfortunately, quantum mechanical simulations based on time-dependent Kohn-Sham density functional theory are computationally too expensive to tackle metal particles larger than 2 nm. Herein, we introduce the recently developed time-dependent orbital-free density functional theory (TD-OFDFT) approach which enables large-scale quantum mechanical simulations of plasmonic responses of metallic nanostructures. Using TD-OFDFT, we have performed quantum mechanical simulations to understand size-dependent plasmonic response of Na nanoparticles and plasmonic responses in Na nanoparticle dimers and trimers. An outlook of future development of the TD-OFDFT method is also presented.

  4. Controllable synthesis and characterization of Fe3O4/Au composite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xing, Yan; Jin, Yan-Yan; Si, Jian-Chao; Peng, Ming-Li; Wang, Xiao-Fang; Chen, Chao; Cui, Ya-Li

    2015-01-01

    Fe 3 O 4 /Au composite nanoparticles (GoldMag NPs) have received considerable attention because of their advantageous properties arisen from both individual Au and Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. Many efforts have been devoted to the synthesis of these composite nanoparticles. Herein, GoldMag NPs were reported to be synthesized by two-step method. Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were prepared by co-precipitation and modified by the citric acid, and then citric acid-coated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were used as seeds in sodium citrate solution to reduce the HAuCl 4 . The size of obtained nanoparticles was geared from 25 to 300 nm by controlling the concentration of reactants. The GoldMag NPs were characterized by UV–vis spectrometer, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The GoldMag NPs showed good superparamagnetism at room temperature and were well dispersed in water with surface plasmon resonance absorption peak varied from 538 nm to 570 nm. - Highlights: • A low cost, simple manipulation and nontoxic approach was designed for preparation of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 /Au (GoldMag NPs) nanocomposites. • The size of GoldMag NPs could be controlled from 25 to 300 nm by varying the concentration of reactants. • GoldMag NPs possessed good magnetic response, high dispersion, and good stability

  5. Seed-mediated growth and manipulation of Au nanorods via size-controlled synthesis of Au seeds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Juncheng; Duggan, Jennifer N.; Morgan, Joshua; Roberts, Christopher B.

    2012-01-01

    Seed-mediated growth of gold (Au) nanorods with highly controllable length, width, and aspect ratio was accomplished via carefully size-controlled synthesis of the original Au seeds. A slow dynamic growth of Au nanoparticle seeds was observed after reduction of the Au salt (i.e., hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (III) hydrate) by sodium borohydride (NaBH 4 ) in the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). As such, the size of the Au nanoparticle seeds can therefore be manipulated through control over the duration of the reaction period (i.e., aging times of 2, 8, 48, 72, and 144 h were used in this study). These differently sized Au nanoparticles were subsequently used as seeds for the growth of Au nanorods, where the additions of Au salt, CTAB, AgNO 3 , and ascorbic acid were employed. Smaller Au nanoparticle seeds obtained via short growth/aging time resulted in Au nanorods with higher aspect ratio and thus longer longitudinal surface plasmon wavelength (LSPW). The larger Au nanoparticle seeds obtained via longer growth/aging time resulted in Au nanorods with lower aspect ratio and shorter LSPW.

  6. A Study of the Influence of Percentage of Copper on the Structural and Optical Properties of Au-Cu Nanoparticle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parivash Mashayekhi Shams

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Here we present our experimental results in synthesizing Au-Cu nano-particles with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance frequency through wet-chemical at temperature room. The reaction is performed in the presence of ascorbic acid as a reducing agent and polyvinyl pyrrolidone as capping agent via four different procedures: (1 mixture of 90% HAuCl4 and 10% CuSO4.5H2O precursors, (2 mixture of 75% HAuCl4 and 25% CuSO4.5H2O precursors, (3 mixture of 50% HAuCl4 and 50% CuSO4.5H2O precursors (4 mixture of 25% HAuCl4 and 75% CuSO4.5H2O precursors. Effect of different percentages of Cu on Au nanoparticles has been analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM with EDAX analysis, DRS UV-Vis, and Fourier transform IR spectra (FTIR analysis. X-ray diffraction (XRD analysis revealed that the nanoparticles are of cubic structure without an impure phase. The successful doping of the Cu into the Au host was evident by XRD line shiftings. The increasing percentage of copper leads to the decreasing grain size. With the increase of Cu2+ to Au3+ ratio in the Cu2+/Au3+ mixed solution (> 50% Cu, XRD lines show no shifting. The average crystal sizes of the particles at room temperature were less than 9.9 nm. The surface plasmon resonance peak shifts from 380 to 340 nm, party due to the change in particle size. SEM images show a spherical shape and the size of nanoparticles becomes smaller with increasing the percentage of copper. Moreover, in the molar ratio of Cu2+/Au3+ = 75/25 (>50% Cu, mixture of spherical and trigonal nanoparticles were prepared. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR showed the coordination and conjugation nanoparticles with N and O atoms of C-N and C=O bonds.

  7. Ultrathin and Nanostructured Au Films with Gradient of Effective Thickness. Optical and Plasmonic Properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomilin, S V; Berzhansky, V N; Shaposhnikov, A N; Prokopov, A R; Milyukova, E T; Karavaynikov, A V; Tomilina, O A

    2016-01-01

    In present work the results of investigation of optical (transmission spectra) and plasmonic (surface plasmon-polariton resonance) properties of ultrathin and nanostructured Au films are presents. Methods and techniques for the syntheses of samples of ultrathin and nanostructured metallic films, and for the experimental studies of optical and plasmonic properties are representative. Au films on SiO 2 (optic glass) substrates were investigated. (paper)

  8. Plasmonic gold nanoparticles for ZnO-nanotube photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cell application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abd-Ellah, Marwa; Moghimi, Nafiseh; Zhang, Lei; Thomas, Joseph. P.; McGillivray, Donald; Srivastava, Saurabh; Leung, Kam Tong

    2016-01-01

    Surface modification of nanostructured metal oxides with metal nanoparticles has been extensively used to enhance their nanoscale properties. The unique properties of metal nanoparticles associated with their controllable dimensions allow these metal nanoparticles to be precisely engineered for many applications, particularly for renewable energy. Here, a simple electrodeposition method to synthesize gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on electrochemically grown ZnO nanotubes (NTs) is reported. The size distribution and areal density of the GNPs can be easily controlled by manipulating the concentration of AuCl3 electrolyte solution, and the deposition time, respectively. An excellent enhancement in the optical properties of ZnO NTs surface-decorated with GNPs (GNP/ZnO-NT), especially in the visible region, is attributed to their surface plasmon resonance. The plasmonic effects of GNPs, together with the large specific surface area of ZnO NTs, can be used to significantly enhance the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) properties. Furthermore, the Schottky barrier at the Au/ZnO interface could prevent electron back transfer from the conduction band of ZnO to the redox electrolyte and thus could substantially increase electron injection in the ZnO conduction band, which would further improve the overall performance of the constructed DSSCs. The GNP/ZnO-NT photoanode has been found to increase the efficiency of the DSSC significantly to 6.0% from 4.7% of the pristine ZnO-NT photoanode, together with corresponding enhancements in short-circuit current density from 10.4 to 13.1 mA cm-2 and in fill factor from 0.60 to 0.75, while the open-circuit voltage remain effectively unchanged (from 0.60 to 0.61 V). Surface decoration with GNPs therefore provides an effective approach to creating not only a high specific surface area for superior loading of dye molecules, but also higher absorbance capability due to their plasmonic effect, all of which lead to excellent performance enhancement

  9. Plasmon enhanced fluorescence with aggregated shell-isolated nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osorio-Román, Igor O; Guerrero, Ariel R; Albella, Pablo; Aroca, Ricardo F

    2014-10-21

    Shell-isolated nanoparticles (SHINs) nanostructures provide a versatile substrate where the localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) are well-defined. For SHINEF, the silver (or gold) metal core is protected by the SiO2 coating, which is thicker than the critical distance for minimum quenching by the metal. In the present work, it is shown that an increase in the SHINEF enhancement factor may be achieved by inducing SHIN aggregation with electrolytes in solution. The proof of concept is demonstrated using NaCl as aggregating agent, although other inorganic salts will also aggregate SHIN nanoparticles. As much as a 10-fold enhancement in the SHINEF enhancement factor (EF) may be achieved by tuning the electrolyte concentrations in solution. The SHINEF experiments include the study of the aggregation effect controlling gold SHIN's surface concentration via spraying. Au-SHINs are sprayed onto layer-by-layer (LbL) and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films, and samples are fabricated using fluorophores with low and also high quantum yield.

  10. Highly efficient ZnO/Au Schottky barrier dye-sensitized solar cells: Role of gold nanoparticles on the charge-transfer process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tanujjal Bora

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Zinc oxide (ZnO nanorods decorated with gold (Au nanoparticles have been synthesized and used to fabricate dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC. The picosecond-resolved, time-correlated single-photon-count (TCSPC spectroscopy technique was used to explore the charge-transfer mechanism in the ZnO/Au-nanocomposite DSSC. Due to the formation of the Schottky barrier at the ZnO/Au interface and the higher optical absorptions of the ZnO/Au photoelectrodes arising from the surface plasmon absorption of the Au nanoparticles, enhanced power-conversion efficiency (PCE of 6.49% for small-area (0.1 cm2 ZnO/Au-nanocomposite DSSC was achieved compared to the 5.34% efficiency of the bare ZnO nanorod DSSC. The TCSPC studies revealed similar dynamics for the charge transfer from dye molecules to ZnO both in the presence and absence of Au nanoparticles. A slower fluorescence decay associated with the electron recombination process, observed in the presence of Au nanoparticles, confirmed the blocking of the electron transfer from ZnO back to the dye or electrolyte by the Schottky barrier formed at the ZnO/Au interface. For large area DSSC (1 cm2, ~130% enhancement in PCE (from 0.50% to 1.16% was achieved after incorporation of the Au nanoparticles into the ZnO nanorods.

  11. Construction of Au@Pt core—satellite nanoparticles based on in-situ reduction of polymeric ionic liquid protected gold nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Wenlan; Li, Junbo; Zou, Sheng; Guo, Jinwu; Zhou, Huiyun

    2017-03-01

    A method of in-situ reduction to prepare Au@Pt core-satellite nanoparticles (NPs) is described by using Au NPs coating poly[1-methyl 3-(2-methacryloyloxy propylimidazolium bromine)] (PMMPImB-@-Au NPs) as the template. After electrostatic complex chloroplatinic acid with PMMPImB shell, the composite NP was directly reduced with N2H4 to produce Au@Pt core-satellite NPs. The characterization of composite and core-satellite NPs under different amounts of chloroplatinic acid were studied by DLS, UV-vis absorption spectrum and TEM. The satellite Pt NPs with a small size ( 2 nm) dotted around Au core, and the resulting Au@Pt core-satellite NPs showed a red-shift surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and a good dispersion due to effectively electrostatic repulsion providing by the polymeric ionic liquid (PIL) shell. Finally, Au@Pt core-satellite NPs exhibit an enhanced catalytic activity and cycled catalytic capability for the reduction of p-nitrophenol with NaBH4.

  12. The synthesis and characterization of polymer-coated FeAu multifunctional nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu Hongling; Hou Peng; Zhang Wengxing [Institute of Molecular and Crystal Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan University, Kaifeng 475001, Henan (China); Kim, Young Keun [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of); Wu Junhua, E-mail: feitianshenhu@yahoo.com [Research Institute of Engineering and Technology, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-08-20

    We report the one-pot nanoemulsion synthesis of FeAu magnetic-optical multifunctional nanoparticles coated by the biocompatible triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PPO-PEO). The FTIR study confirms the PEO-PPO-PEO molecules on the surface of the resulting nanoparticles. The structural characterization identifies the crystallographic parameter 4.072 A of the cubic phase and the morphology analysis gives the nanoparticle shape, size and size distribution, showing the high crystallinity of the FeAu nanoparticles and an average particle size of {approx} 6.5 nm. In addition there is direct confirmation of the alloying by elemental point probing of an individual nanoparticle. Following the visual demonstration of a rapid, efficient and reversible dispersion-collection process of the nanoparticles in solution, the magnetic measurement manifests a soft ferromagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles with a small coercivity of {approx} 60 Oe at room temperature. The corresponding magnetic hysteresis curves were effectively assessed by modified bi-phase Langevin equations, which were satisfactorily explained in terms of a bimodal particle size distribution. The UV-vis studies display the broadband absorption of the PEO-PPO-PEO-coated nanoparticles with the maximum surface plasmon resonance around 585 nm. The characterization and analysis, therefore, shows the unification of iron and gold into one alloy nanostructure entity covered by the biocompatible triblock copolymer thin film, preserving the optical and magnetic properties of the individual constituents. This gives the prospect of enhanced performance in applications.

  13. The synthesis and characterization of polymer-coated FeAu multifunctional nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Hongling; Hou Peng; Zhang Wengxing; Kim, Young Keun; Wu Junhua

    2010-01-01

    We report the one-pot nanoemulsion synthesis of FeAu magnetic-optical multifunctional nanoparticles coated by the biocompatible triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PPO-PEO). The FTIR study confirms the PEO-PPO-PEO molecules on the surface of the resulting nanoparticles. The structural characterization identifies the crystallographic parameter 4.072 A of the cubic phase and the morphology analysis gives the nanoparticle shape, size and size distribution, showing the high crystallinity of the FeAu nanoparticles and an average particle size of ∼ 6.5 nm. In addition there is direct confirmation of the alloying by elemental point probing of an individual nanoparticle. Following the visual demonstration of a rapid, efficient and reversible dispersion-collection process of the nanoparticles in solution, the magnetic measurement manifests a soft ferromagnetic behavior of the nanoparticles with a small coercivity of ∼ 60 Oe at room temperature. The corresponding magnetic hysteresis curves were effectively assessed by modified bi-phase Langevin equations, which were satisfactorily explained in terms of a bimodal particle size distribution. The UV-vis studies display the broadband absorption of the PEO-PPO-PEO-coated nanoparticles with the maximum surface plasmon resonance around 585 nm. The characterization and analysis, therefore, shows the unification of iron and gold into one alloy nanostructure entity covered by the biocompatible triblock copolymer thin film, preserving the optical and magnetic properties of the individual constituents. This gives the prospect of enhanced performance in applications.

  14. Surface plasmon enhanced quantum transport in a hybrid metal nanoparticle array

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Lin; Nan, Yali; Xu, Shang; Zhang, Sishi; Han, Min

    2014-01-01

    Hybrid Pd–Ag nanoparticle arrays composed of randomly distributed Pd nanoparticles in dense packing and a small number of dispersed Ag nanoparticles were fabricated with controlled coverage. Photo-enhanced conductance was observed in the nanoparticle arrays. Largest enhancement, which can be higher than 20 folds, was obtained with 450 nm light illumination. This wavelength was found to correlate with the surface plasmon resonance of the Ag nanoparticles. Electron transport measurements showed there were significant Coulomb blockade in the nanoparticle arrays and the blockade could be overcome with the surface plasmon enhanced local field of Ag nanoparticles induced by light illumination. - Highlights: • We study photo-enhanced electron conductance of a hybrid Pd–Ag nanoparticle array. • The light-induced conductance enhancement is as high as 20 folds at 10 K. • The enhancement is correlate with the surface plasmon resonance of Ag nanoparticles. • Coulomb blockades is overcome with the surface plasmon enhanced local field

  15. Enhanced photoelectric performance in self-powered UV detectors based on ZnO nanowires with plasmonic Au nanoparticles scattered electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yiyu; Ye, Zhizhen; Lu, Bin; Dai, Wei; Pan, Xinhua

    2016-04-01

    Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires (NWs) were grown on a fluorine-doped tin-oxide-coated glass substrate by a hydrothermal method. Au nanoparticles were well dispersed in the mixed solution of ethanol and deionized water. A simple self-powered ultraviolet detector based on solid-liquid heterojunction was fabricated, utilizing ZnO NWs as active photoanode and such prepared mixed solution as electrolyte. The introduction of Au nanoparticles results in considerable improvements in the responsivity and sensitivity of the device compared with the one using deionized water as electrolyte, which is attributed to the enhanced light harvesting by Au nanoparticles.

  16. Catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Britt Hvolbæk; Janssens, Ton V.W.; Clausen, Bjerne

    2007-01-01

    Au is usually viewed as an inert metal, but surprisingly it has been found that Au nanoparticles less than 3–5 nm in diameter are catalytically active for several chemical reactions. We discuss the origin of this effect, focusing on the way in which the chemical activity of Au may change with par......Au is usually viewed as an inert metal, but surprisingly it has been found that Au nanoparticles less than 3–5 nm in diameter are catalytically active for several chemical reactions. We discuss the origin of this effect, focusing on the way in which the chemical activity of Au may change...... with particle size. We find that the fraction of low-coordinated Au atoms scales approximately with the catalytic activity, suggesting that atoms on the corners and edges of Au nanoparticles are the active sites. This effect is explained using density functional calculations....

  17. The Enhanced Photo-Electrochemical Detection of Uric Acid on Au Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yuting; Wang, Jin; Li, Shumin; Yan, Bo; Xu, Hui; Zhang, Ke; Du, Yukou

    2017-07-01

    In this work, a sensitive and novel method for determining uric acid (UA) has been developed, in which the glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with electrodeposition Au nanoparticles and used to monitor the concentration of UA with the assistant of visible light illumination. The morphology of the Au nanoparticles deposited on GCE surface were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the nanoparticles were found to be well-dispersed spheres with the average diameter approaching 26.1 nm. A series of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) measurements have revealed that the introduction of visible light can greatly enhance both the strength and stability of response current due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Specifically, the DPV showed a linear relationship between peak current and UA concentration in the range of 2.8 to 57.5 μM with the equation of I pa (μA) = 0.0121 c UA (μM) + 0.3122 ( R 2 = 0.9987). Herein, the visible light illuminated Au/GCE possesses a potential to be a sensitive electrochemical sensor in the future.

  18. Optical invisibility through metasurfaces made of plasmonic nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monti, A.; Alù, A.; Toscano, A.; Bilotti, F.

    2015-03-01

    In this paper, we investigate the application of the mantle cloaking technique to near-infrared and visible frequencies, analyzing and designing thin covers consisting of 2D arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles. First, we validate and generalize an analytical model recently appeared in the literature to describe a 2D array of plasmonic nanoparticles as a metasurface characterized by its homogenized surface reactance. We prove that the proposed model allows to efficiently design 2D mantle cloaks with an assigned surface reactance, enabling, thus, the extension of the mantle cloaking technique to optical frequencies. Then, we design realistic optical mantle cloaks made of 2D arrays of spheroidal plasmonic nanoparticles with a high eccentricity. We show that the proposed cloaks allow significant, moderately broadband cloaking effects at visible frequencies. In our designs, we consider realistic losses and non-critical nanoparticle dimensions to envision a practical realization of the proposed cloaks.

  19. Constructed Single-Crystal Rutile TiO_2 Cluster and Plasmon Synergistic Effect for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Wenjing; Sun, Weiwei; Liu, Yumin; Mehnane, Hadja Fatima; Liu, Haimin; Zhang, Kun; Cai, Bo; Liu, Wei; Guo, Shishang; Zhao, Xing-Zhong

    2015-01-01

    We demonstrate a method for incorporating plasmon metallic nanoparticles in hierarchical rutile TiO_2 clusters (RTC) assembled from single-crystal nanospindles. The RTC could efficiently improve the diffusion of the photoelectrons, which can be ascribed to the improvement of the connectivity by bridging the neighbouring microflowers through the single-crystal nanospindles. But not all the nanospindles are tightly interconnected, hence organic colloid has been prepared for post-treatment of the device based on RTC by the generation of TiO_2 nanoparticles. When added into Au nanoparticles, localized electric fields can be produced, because Au can excite dye molecules more intensively than incident far-field light. The surface plasmon synergistic effect had been investigated by Uv-vis absorption spectrum of Au@ organic colloid and the relative change of the IPCE. As a result, the cell based on RTC exhibits an overall conversion efficiency of 7.68%, indicating a 17% promotion compared with that derived from commercial P25 (6.58%) which could be ascribed to faster electron transfer of single-crystal nanospindles. With the Au nanoparticles incorporation in RTC, the device achieves a conversion efficiency of 9.15%, resulting in a 11% increase compared to the RTC device post-treated by organic colloid without Au nanoparticles (8.24%), which is attributed to the surface plasmon synergistic of Au nanoparticles.

  20. Localized surface plasmon resonance properties of symmetry-broken Au-ITO-Ag multilayered nanoshells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Jingwei; Mu, Haiwei; Lu, Xili; Liu, Qiang; Liu, Chao; Sun, Tao; Chu, Paul K.

    2018-06-01

    The plasmonic properties of symmetry-broken Au-ITO-Ag multilayered nanoshells by shell cutting are studied by the finite element method. The influence of the polarization of incident light and geometrical parameters on the plasmon resonances of the multilayered nanoshells are investigated. The polarization-dependent multiple plasmon resonances appear from the multilayered nanoshells due to symmetry breaking. In nanostructures with a broken symmetry, the localized surface plasmon resonance modes are enhanced resulting in higher order resonances. According to the plasmon hybridization theory, these resonance modes and greater spectral tunability derive from the interactions of an admixture of both primitive and multipolar modes between the inner Au core and outer Ag shell. By changing the radius of the Au core, the extinction resonance modes of the multilayered nanoshells can be easily tuned to the near-infrared region. To elucidate the symmetry-broken effects of multilayered nanoshells, we link the geometrical asymmetry to the asymmetrical distributions of surface charges and demonstrate dipolar and higher order plasmon modes with large associated field enhancements at the edge of the Ag rim. The spectral tunability of the multiple resonance modes from visible to near-infrared is investigated and the unique properties are attractive to applications including angularly selective filtering to biosensing.

  1. Synthesis and characterization of water-dispersible core/shell Mn-doped magnetite/Au nanoparticles for proton radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jeong Chan

    2015-01-01

    The surface modification of the nanomaterials is required for the biomedical use to give physiological stability, surface reactivity and targeting properties. Among many approaches for the surface modification with materials, such as polymers, organic ligands and metals, one of the most attractive ways is to employ metals. The fabrication of metal-based, monolayer coated magnetic nanoparticles has been intensively studied. However, the synthesis of metal-capped magnetic nanoparticles with monodispersities and controllable sizes is still challenged. Recently, gold-capped magnetic nanoparticles have been reported to increase stability and to provide biocompatibility. Gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles are an attractive system, which can be stabilized in biological conditions and readily functionalized through well-established surface modification chemistry. In addition, the Au coating offers plasmonic properties to magnetic nanoparticles. This makes the magnetic/Au core/shell combinations interesting for magnetic and optical applications. The monodisperse Mn:Fe3O4/Au nanoparticles have been prepared in organic solvent first and then transferred from an organic phase to an aqueous solution. The resulting core/shell-structured nanoparticles may be an attractive system for biomedical applications, which are needed both magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging. In addition, the resulting nanoparticles may be useful for proton radiotherapy due to the enhanced therapeutic effects of secondary radiation stemmed from gold and proton beam bombardment

  2. Photovoltaic performance enhancement of CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 photoanodes with plasmonic gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Aiping; Ren, Qinghua; Zhao, Ming; Xu, Tao; Yuan, Ming; Zhao, Tingyu; Tang, Weihua

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • CdS QD-sensitized TiO 2 porous photoanode with plasmonic gold. • A prominent light absorption enhancement of hybrid was attained by gold plasmon. • The photovoltaic response of hybrid was tunable by CdS amount. • The Au/TiO 2 /CdS hybrid had a potential application in energy conversion devices. -- Abstract: The CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO 2 films with plasmonic gold nanoparticles were designed as photoanodes by the electrodeposition of gold combined with the “successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction” (SILAR) method for CdS deposition on porous TiO 2 films. A prominent enhancement in light absorption of Au/TiO 2 /CdS hybrid was attained by efficient light scattering of gold plasmons as sub-wavelength antennas and concentrators. The photogenerated electron formed in the near-surface region of TiO 2 and CdS were facilitated to transfer to the plasmonic gold, resulting in the enhancement of photocurrent and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of hybrid photoanode upon photoirradiation. Furthermore, the photovoltaic response of hybrid was highly tunable with respect to the number of SILAR cycles applied to deposit CdS. The thicker absorber layer with less porous structure and larger CdS crystals might limit the electrolyte diffusion into the hybrid electrode and impose a barrier for electron tunneling and transferring. The highly versatile and tunable properties of Au/TiO 2 /CdS photoanodes demonstrated their potential application in energy conversion devices

  3. Study on antibacterial activity of chemically synthesized PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boomi, Pandi [Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu (India); Prabu, Halliah Gurumallesh, E-mail: hgprabu2010@gmail.com [Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu (India); Manisankar, Paramasivam [Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Chemical Sciences, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630 003, Tamil Nadu (India); Ravikumar, Sundaram [Department of Oceanography and Coastal Area Studies, School of Marine Sciences, Alagappa University, Thondi Campus 623 409, Tamil Nadu (India)

    2014-05-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • New method of synthesizing PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposite. • Surface Plasmon resonance and formation of composite at nano level were analyzed. • HR-TEM study revealed uniform distribution of nanoparticles. • PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposite exhibited good antibacterial activity. - Abstract: Pristine polyaniline (PANI), PANI-Ag, PANI-Au and PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization method using aniline as monomer, ammonium persulphate as oxidant and metal (Ag, Au and Ag-Au) colloids. UV-Vis analysis exhibited surface Plasmon resonances of Ag, Au, Ag-Au nanoparticles. FT-IR spectra revealed the shift in peak position of N-H stretching. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm the presence of Ag, Au and Au-Ag nanoparticles. HR-TEM images show nanosizes of Ag, Au, Ag-Au and the incorporation of such nanoparticles into the PANI matrix. Pristine PANI, PANI-Ag, PANI-Au and PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposites were tested for antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion method. PANI-Ag-Au nanocomposite exhibited higher antibacterial activity against both gram-positive [Streptococcus sp. (MTCC 890), Staphylococcus sp. (MTCC 96)] and gram-negative bacteria [Escherichia coli (MTCC 1671) and Klebsiella sp. (MTCC 7407)] when compared with PANI-Ag nanocomposite, PANI-Au nanocomposite and pristine PANI. The novelty of this study is the polymer-bimetal synthesis and its antibacterial potential.

  4. Enhanced photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals-doped cellulose nanofibers by plasmonic light scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugimoto, Hiroshi [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Zhang, Ran [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States); Reinhard, Björn M. [Department of Chemistry and Photonics Center, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Fujii, Minoru [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Perotto, Giovanni; Marelli, Benedetto; Omenetto, Fiorenzo G. [Department of Biomedical Engineering and Department of Physics, Tufts University, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155 (United States); Dal Negro, Luca, E-mail: dalnegro@bu.edu [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02215 (United States); Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, 15 Saint Mary' s Street, Brookline, Massachusetts 02446 (United States)

    2015-07-27

    We report the development of bio-compatible cellulose nanofibers doped with light emitting silicon nanocrystals and Au nanoparticles via facile electrospinning. By performing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy as a function of excitation wavelength, we demonstrate plasmon-enhanced PL by a factor of 2.2 with negligible non-radiative quenching due to plasmon-enhanced scattering of excitation light from Au nanoparticles to silicon nanocrystals inside the nanofibers. These findings provide an alternative approach for the development of plasmon-enhanced active systems integrated within the compact nanofiber geometry. Furthermore, bio-compatible light-emitting nanofibers prepared by a cost-effective solution-based processing are very promising platforms for biophotonic applications such as fluorescence sensing and imaging.

  5. Plasmonic and silicon spherical nanoparticle antireflective coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baryshnikova, K. V.; Petrov, M. I.; Babicheva, V. E.; Belov, P. A.

    2016-03-01

    Over the last decade, plasmonic antireflecting nanostructures have been extensively studied to be utilized in various optical and optoelectronic systems such as lenses, solar cells, photodetectors, and others. The growing interest to all-dielectric photonics as an alternative optical technology along with plasmonics motivates us to compare antireflective properties of plasmonic and all-dielectric nanoparticle coatings based on silver and crystalline silicon respectively. Our simulation results for spherical nanoparticles array on top of amorphous silicon show that both silicon and silver coatings demonstrate strong antireflective properties in the visible spectral range. For the first time, we show that zero reflectance from the structure with silicon coatings originates from the destructive interference of electric- and magnetic-dipole responses of nanoparticle array with the wave reflected from the substrate, and we refer to this reflection suppression as substrate-mediated Kerker effect. We theoretically compare the silicon and silver coating effectiveness for the thin-film photovoltaic applications. Silver nanoparticles can be more efficient, enabling up to 30% increase of the overall absorbance in semiconductor layer. Nevertheless, silicon coatings allow up to 64% absorbance increase in the narrow band spectral range because of the substrate-mediated Kerker effect, and band position can be effectively tuned by varying the nanoparticles sizes.

  6. Super low threshold plasmonic WGM lasing from an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on an Au substrate for plasmon lasers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, H M; Yang, Y H; Yang, G W

    2015-03-05

    We demonstrate an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on the surface of an Au substrate which can become new sources for manufacturing miniature ZnO plasmon lasers by surface plasmon polariton coupling to whispering-gallery modes (WGMs). We also demonstrate that the rough surface of Au substrates can acquire a more satisfied enhancement of ZnO emission if the surface geometry of Au substrates is appropriate. Furthermore, we achieve high Q factor and super low threshold plasmonic WGM lasing from an individual ZnO hexagonal microrod on the surface of the Au substrate, in which Q factor can reach 5790 and threshold is 0.45 KW/cm(2) which is the lowest value reported to date for ZnO nanostructures lasing, at least 10 times smaller than that of ZnO at the nanometer. Electron transfer mechanisms are proposed to understand the physical origin of quenching and enhancement of ZnO emission on the surface of Au substrates. These investigations show that this novel coupling mode holds a great potential of ZnO hexagonal micro- and nanorods for data storage, bio-sensing, optical communications as well as all-optic integrated circuits.

  7. Cavity-Type DNA Origami-Based Plasmonic Nanostructures for Raman Enhancement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mengzhen; Wang, Xu; Ren, Shaokang; Xing, Yikang; Wang, Jun; Teng, Nan; Zhao, Dongxia; Liu, Wei; Zhu, Dan; Su, Shao; Shi, Jiye; Song, Shiping; Wang, Lihua; Chao, Jie; Wang, Lianhui

    2017-07-05

    DNA origami has been established as addressable templates for site-specific anchoring of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Given that AuNPs are assembled by charged DNA oligonucleotides, it is important to reduce the charge repulsion between AuNPs-DNA and the template to realize high yields. Herein, we developed a cavity-type DNA origami as templates to organize 30 nm AuNPs, which formed dimer and tetramer plasmonic nanostructures. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that high yields of dimer and tetramer plasmonic nanostructures were obtained by using the cavity-type DNA origami as the template. More importantly, we observed significant Raman signal enhancement from molecules covalently attached to the plasmonic nanostructures, which provides a new way to high-sensitivity Raman sensing.

  8. One-step synthesis of graphene-Au nanoparticle hybrid materials from metal salt-loaded micelles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, X; Zhang, X W; Meng, J H; Wang, H L; Yin, Z G; Wu, J L; Gao, H L

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we present a facile one-step method to synthesize graphene-Au nanoparticle (NP) hybrid materials by using HAuCl 4 -loaded poly(styrene)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-P2VP) micelles as solid carbon sources. N-doped graphene with controllable thickness can be grown from PS-P2VP micelles covered by a Ni capping layer by an annealing process; simultaneously, the HAuCl 4 in the micelles were reduced into Au NPs under a reductive atmosphere to form Au NPs on graphene. The decoration of Au NPs leads to an obviously enhanced electrical conductivity and a slightly increased work function of graphene due to the electron transfer effect. The graphene-Au NP hybrid materials also exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance feature of Au NPs. This work provides a novel and accessible route for the one-step synthesis of graphene-Au NP hybrid materials with high quality, which might be useful for future applications in optoelectronic devices. (paper)

  9. Gap-plasmon based broadband absorbers for enhanced hot-electron and photocurrent generation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Yuhua; Dong, Wen; Chen, Zhuo

    2016-01-01

    Plasmonic hot-electron generation has recently come into focus as a new scheme for solar energy conversion. So far, however, due to the relatively narrow bandwidth of the surface plasmon resonances and the insufficient resonant light absorption, most of plasmonic photocatalysts show narrow......-band spectral responsivities and small solar energy conversion efficiencies. Here we experimentally demonstrate that a three-layered nanostructure, consisting of a monolayer gold-nanoparticles and a gold film separated by a TiO2 gap layer (Au-NPs/TiO2/Au-film), is capable of near-completely absorbing light...... within the whole visible region. We show that the Au-NPs/TiO2/Au-film device can take advantage of such strong and broadband light absorption to enhance the generation of hot electrons and thus the photocurrent under visible irradiation. As compared to conventional plasmonic photocatalysts such as Au...

  10. Ordered Au Nanodisk and Nanohole Arrays: Fabrication and Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Zheng, Yue Bing; Juluri, Bala Krishna; Kiraly, Brian; Huang, Tony Jun

    2010-01-01

    We have utilized nanosphere lithography (NSL) to fabricate ordered Au nanodisk and nanohole arrays on substrates and have studied the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the arrays. Through these investigations, we demonstrate that the angle- dependent behavior of the LSPR in the Au nanodisk arrays enables real-time observation of exciton-plasmon couplings. In addition, we show that the NSL-fabricated Au nanohole arrays can be applied as templates for patterning micro-/nanoparticles under capillary force. The unique structural and plasmonic characteristics of the Au nanodisk and nano- hole arrays, as well as the low-cost and high-throughput NSL-based nanofabrication technique, render these arrays excellent platforms for numerous engineering applications. © 2010 by ASME.

  11. Enhanced Plasmonic Biosensors of Hybrid Gold Nanoparticle-Graphene Oxide-Based Label-Free Immunoassay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Nan-Fu; Chen, Chi-Chu; Yang, Cheng-Du; Kao, Yu-Sheng; Wu, Wei-Ren

    2018-05-01

    In this study, we propose a modified gold nanoparticle-graphene oxide sheet (AuNP-GO) nanocomposite to detect two different interactions between proteins and hybrid nanocomposites for use in biomedical applications. GO sheets have high bioaffinity, which facilitates the attachment of biomolecules to carboxyl groups and has led to its use in the development of sensing mechanisms. When GO sheets are decorated with AuNPs, they introduce localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in the resonance energy transfer of spectral changes. Our results suggest a promising future for AuNP-GO-based label-free immunoassays to detect disease biomarkers and rapidly diagnose infectious diseases. The results showed the detection of antiBSA in 10 ng/ml of hCG non-specific interfering protein with dynamic responses ranging from 1.45 nM to 145 fM, and a LOD of 145 fM. Considering the wide range of potential applications of GO sheets as a host material for a variety of nanoparticles, the approach developed here may be beneficial for the future integration of nanoparticles with GO nanosheets for blood sensing. The excellent anti-interference characteristics allow for the use of the biosensor in clinical analysis and point-of-care testing (POCT) diagnostics of rapid immunoassay products, and it may also be a potential tool for the measurement of biomarkers in human serum.

  12. Properties of plasmonic arrays produced by pulsed-laser nanostructuring of thin Au films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katarzyna Grochowska

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available A brief description of research advances in the area of short-pulse-laser nanostructuring of thin Au films is followed by examples of experimental data and a discussion of our results on the characterization of structural and optical properties of gold nanostructures. These consist of partially spherical or spheroidal nanoparticles (NPs which have a size distribution (80 ± 42 nm and self-organization characterized by a short-distance order (length scale ≈140 nm. For the NP shapes produced, an observably broader tuning range (of about 150 nm of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR band is obtained by renewal thin film deposition and laser annealing of the NP array. Despite the broadened SPR bands, which indicate damping confirmed by short dephasing times not exceeding 4 fs, the self-organized Au NP structures reveal quite a strong enhancement of the optical signal. This was consistent with the near-field modeling and micro-Raman measurements as well as a test of the electrochemical sensing capability.

  13. Giant Photogalvanic Effect in Noncentrosymmetric Plasmonic Nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhukovsky, Sergei; Babicheva, Viktoriia; Evlyukhin, Andrey B.

    2014-01-01

    Photoelectric properties of noncentrosymmetric, similarly oriented metallic nanoparticles embedded in a homogeneous semiconductor matrix are theoretically studied. Because of the asymmetric shape of the nanoparticle boundary, photoelectron emission acquires a preferred direction, resulting......, but is several orders of magnitude stronger. Termed the giant plasmonic photogalvanic effect, the reported phenomenon is valuable for characterizing photoemission and photoconductive properties of plasmonic nanostructures and can find many uses for photodetection and photovoltaic applications....... in a photocurrent flow in that direction when nanoparticles are uniformly illuminated by a homogeneous plane wave. This effect is a direct analogy of the photogalvanic (or bulk photovoltaic) effect known to exist in media with noncentrosymmetric crystal structure, such as doped lithium niobate or bismuth ferrite...

  14. Effect of surface plasmon resonance on the photocatalytic activity of Au/TiO2 under UV/visible illumination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Yao-Hsuan; Chang, I-Guo; Tai, Yian; Wu, Kung-Wei

    2012-01-01

    In this study, gold-loaded titanium dioxide was prepared by an impregnation method to investigate the effect of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) on photoactivity. The deposited gold nanoparticles (NPs) absorb visible light because of SPR. The effects of both the gold content and the TiO2 size of Au/TiO2 on SPR and the photocatalytic efficiency were investigated. The morphology, crystal structure, light absorption, emission from the recombination of a photoexcited electron and hole, and the degree of aggregation were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible-diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-VIS-DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and turbidimetry, respectively. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated by the decolorization of methyl orange solution over modified titania under UV and UV/GLED (green light emitting diode) illumination. Au/TiO2 NPs exhibited an absorption peak (530-570 nm) because of SPR. The results of our photocatalytic experiments indicated that the UV-inducedly photocatalytic reaction rate was improved by simultaneously using UV and green light illumination; this corresponds to the adsorption region of SPR. Au/TiO2 could use the enhanced electric field amplitude on the surface of the Au particle in the spectral vicinity of its plasmon resonance and thus improve the photoactivity. Experimental results show that the synergistic effect between UV and green light for the improvement of photoactivity increases with increasing the SPR absorption, which in turn is affected by the Au content and TiO2 size.

  15. Photovoltaic performance enhancement of CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO{sub 2} photoanodes with plasmonic gold nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Aiping, E-mail: liuaiping1979@gmail.com [Center for Optoelectronics Materials and Devices, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027 (China); Ren, Qinghua; Zhao, Ming; Xu, Tao; Yuan, Ming; Zhao, Tingyu [Center for Optoelectronics Materials and Devices, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018 (China); Tang, Weihua [State Key Laboratory of Information Photonics and Optical Communication, Beijing University Posts and Telecommunications, Beijing 100876 (China)

    2014-03-15

    Highlights: • CdS QD-sensitized TiO{sub 2} porous photoanode with plasmonic gold. • A prominent light absorption enhancement of hybrid was attained by gold plasmon. • The photovoltaic response of hybrid was tunable by CdS amount. • The Au/TiO{sub 2}/CdS hybrid had a potential application in energy conversion devices. -- Abstract: The CdS quantum dot-sensitized TiO{sub 2} films with plasmonic gold nanoparticles were designed as photoanodes by the electrodeposition of gold combined with the “successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction” (SILAR) method for CdS deposition on porous TiO{sub 2} films. A prominent enhancement in light absorption of Au/TiO{sub 2}/CdS hybrid was attained by efficient light scattering of gold plasmons as sub-wavelength antennas and concentrators. The photogenerated electron formed in the near-surface region of TiO{sub 2} and CdS were facilitated to transfer to the plasmonic gold, resulting in the enhancement of photocurrent and incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency of hybrid photoanode upon photoirradiation. Furthermore, the photovoltaic response of hybrid was highly tunable with respect to the number of SILAR cycles applied to deposit CdS. The thicker absorber layer with less porous structure and larger CdS crystals might limit the electrolyte diffusion into the hybrid electrode and impose a barrier for electron tunneling and transferring. The highly versatile and tunable properties of Au/TiO{sub 2}/CdS photoanodes demonstrated their potential application in energy conversion devices.

  16. Efficient H2 production over Au/graphene/TiO2 induced by surface plasmon resonance of Au and band-gap excitation of TiO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Yang; Yu, Hongtao; Wang, Hua; Chen, Shuo; Quan, Xie

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Both surface plasmon resonance and band-gap excitation were used for H 2 production. • Au/Gr/TiO 2 composite photocatalyst was synthesized. • Au/Gr/TiO 2 exhibited enhancement of light absorption and charge separation. • H 2 production rate of Au/Gr/TiO 2 was about 2 times as high as that of Au/TiO 2 . - Abstract: H 2 production over Au/Gr/TiO 2 composite photocatalyst induced by surface plasmon resonance of Au and band-gap excitation of TiO 2 using graphene (Gr) as an electron acceptor has been investigated. Electron paramagnetic resonance study indicated that, in this composite, Gr collected electrons not only from Au with surface plasmon resonance but also from TiO 2 with band-gap excitation. Surface photovoltage and UV–vis absorption measurements revealed that compared with Au/TiO 2 , Au/Gr/TiO 2 displayed more effective photogenerated charge separation and higher optical absorption. Benefiting from these advantages, the H 2 production rate of Au/Gr/TiO 2 composite with Gr content of 1.0 wt% and Au content of 2.0 wt% was about 2 times as high as that of Au/TiO 2 . This work represents an important step toward the efficient application of both surface plasmon resonance and band-gap excitation on the way to converting solar light into chemical energy

  17. The photovoltaic performance of Ag2S quantum dots-sensitized solar cells using plasmonic Au nanoparticles/TiO2 working electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badawi, Ali; Mostafa, Nasser Y.; Al-Hosiny, Najm M.; Merazga, Amar; Albaradi, Ateyyah M.; Abdel-Wahab, F.; Atta, A. A.

    2018-06-01

    The photovoltaic performance of silver sulfide (Ag2S) quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) using different concentrations (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 wt.%) of plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs)/titania (TiO2) electrodes has been investigated. Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) were adsorbed onto the Au NPs/titania electrodes using the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) deposition technique. The morphological properties of the Au NPs and the prepared titania electrodes were characterized using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), respectively. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra of the bare titania and Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes were recorded. The optical properties of the prepared Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes were measured using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. The estimated energy band gap of Ag2S QDs-sensitized titania electrodes is 1.96 eV. The photovoltaic performance of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs was measured under 100 mW/cm2 solar illumination. The optimal photovoltaic parameters were obtained as follows: open circuit voltage Voc = 0.50 V, current density Jsc = 3.18 mA/cm2, fill factor (FF) = 0.35 and energy conversion efficiency η = 0.55% for 0.3 wt.% of Au NPs/titania electrode. These results are attributed to the enhancement in the absorption and decrease in the electron-hole pairs recombination rate. The open circuit voltage decay (OCVD) measurements of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs were measured. The calculated electron lifetime (τ) in Ag2S QDSSCs with Au NPs/titania electrodes is at least one order of magnitude more than that with bare titania electrode. The cut-on-cut-off cycles of the solar illumination measurements show the rapid sensitivity and good reproducibility of the assembled Ag2S QDSSCs.

  18. Coupling effects in 3D plasmonic structures templated by Morpho butterfly wings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jiaqing; Shen, Qingchen; Yang, Shuai; He, Gufeng; Tao, Peng; Song, Chengyi; Wu, Jianbo; Deng, Tao; Shang, Wen

    2018-01-03

    This paper presents the study of the coupling effects of three dimensional (3D) plasmonic nanostructures templated by Morpho butterfly wings. Different from the random deposition of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) or conformal coating of metallic layers on butterfly wings reported previously, the 3D plasmonic nanostructures studied in this work consist of gold (Au) nanostrips quasi-periodically arranged in 3D, which allows us to investigate the plasmonic coupling effects. Through refractive index (RI) matching, the plasmonic coupling can be differentiated from the optical contribution of butterfly wings. By tuning the deposition thickness of Au from 30 to 90 nm, the plasmonic coupling effects between the 3D Au nanostrips are gradually enhanced. In particular, the near-field coupling results in two resonant modes and enhances the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals.

  19. Material influence on hot spot distribution in the nanoparticle heterodimer on film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Fang; Huang, Yingzhou; Wei, Hua; Wang, Shuxia; Zeng, Xiping; Cao, Wenbin; Wen, Weijia

    2018-04-01

    The metal nanoparticle aggregated on film, as an effective plasma enhancement pathway, has been widely used in various surface plasmon-related fields. In this study, the hot spots on the metal nanoparticle dimer composed of different materials (Agsbnd Au, Agsbnd Pd, and Agsbnd Cu) on metal (Au) film were investigated with finite element method. Based on the results, the hot spot distribution affected by the material can be confirmed by the electric field distribution of the metal nanoparticle dimer on the film. The aggregation effects of Au and Ag nanoparticles in Ausbnd Ag dimer system are not significant. However, for the Pdsbnd Ag dimer system, the hot spot aggregation effect is slightly larger than that of the Pd nanoparticle under the Ag nanoparticle. Besides, the non-uniform hot spots would bring about the light focusing phenomenon that the light intensity under Ag nanoparticle is almost 100 times greater than that under Cu nanoparticle in Agsbnd Cu dimer system. These results were further confirmed by the surface charge distribution, and analyzed based on the plasmonic hybridization theory. The data about the nanoparticle dimer on the dielectric (Si) film demonstrate the importance of induced image charges on the film surface in such a light focusing phenomenon. Our findings can enhance the understanding of the surface plasmon coupling in different materials, which may have great application prospects in surface plasmon-related fields, such as SERS, plasmonic enhanced solar cell, and plasmonic sensoring, etc.

  20. Biopolymer/gold nanoparticles composite plasmonic thermal history indicator to monitor quality and safety of perishable bioproducts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yi-Cheng; Lu, Lin; Gunasekaran, Sundaram

    2017-06-15

    Quality and safety of perishable products such as foods, pharmaceutics, and biologicals is a constant concern. We have developed a plasmonic thermal history indicator (THI) taking advantage of the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) synthesized in situ in alginate, a natural polysaccharide. The color of the THIs becomes more intense with increased storage temperature and/or duration, with the color changing from grey to red with time of exposure at high temperature (40°C). The results suggest that decreasing viscosity with increasing number of AuNPs being synthesized in the system, along with aggregation of newly synthesized AuNPs onto larger ones and their settling are potentially responsible for the distinct color change observed. The use of alginate in the THIs also facilitates fabricating them as solid hydrogel matrices by adding divalent calcium ions. This alginate-AuNPs THI system is tunable by altering its composition to suit different time-temperature monitoring scenarios and the color-change reaction is irreversible. The THI provides a convenient, reliable, safe, and inexpensive means for tracking the thermal history of perishable products without the need for a read-out device. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Metal Nanoparticles/Porous Silicon Microcavity Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Fluorescence for the Detection of DNA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiajia Wang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available A porous silicon microcavity (PSiMC with resonant peak wavelength of 635 nm was fabricated by electrochemical etching. Metal nanoparticles (NPs/PSiMC enhanced fluorescence substrates were prepared by the electrostatic adherence of Au NPs that were distributed in PSiMC. The Au NPs/PSiMC device was used to characterize the target DNA immobilization and hybridization with its complementary DNA sequences marked with Rhodamine red (RRA. Fluorescence enhancement was observed on the Au NPs/PSiMC device substrate; and the minimum detection concentration of DNA ran up to 10 pM. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR of the MC substrate; which is so well-positioned to improve fluorescence enhancement rather the fluorescence enhancement of the high reflection band of the Bragg reflector; would welcome such a highly sensitive in biosensor.

  2. Metal Nanoparticles/Porous Silicon Microcavity Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Fluorescence for the Detection of DNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jiajia; Jia, Zhenhong

    2018-02-23

    A porous silicon microcavity (PSiMC) with resonant peak wavelength of 635 nm was fabricated by electrochemical etching. Metal nanoparticles (NPs)/PSiMC enhanced fluorescence substrates were prepared by the electrostatic adherence of Au NPs that were distributed in PSiMC. The Au NPs/PSiMC device was used to characterize the target DNA immobilization and hybridization with its complementary DNA sequences marked with Rhodamine red (RRA). Fluorescence enhancement was observed on the Au NPs/PSiMC device substrate; and the minimum detection concentration of DNA ran up to 10 pM. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the MC substrate; which is so well-positioned to improve fluorescence enhancement rather the fluorescence enhancement of the high reflection band of the Bragg reflector; would welcome such a highly sensitive in biosensor.

  3. Spectroscopically forbidden infra-red emission in Au-vertical graphene hybrid nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivadasan, A. K.; Parida, Santanu; Ghosh, Subrata; Pandian, Ramanathaswamy; Dhara, Sandip

    2017-11-01

    Implementation of Au nanoparticles (NPs) is a subject for frontier plasmonic research due to its fascinating optical properties. Herein, the present study deals with plasmonic assisted emission properties of Au NPs-vertical graphene (VG) hybrid nanostructures. The influence of effective polarizability of Au NPs on the surface enhanced Raman scattering and luminescence properties is investigated. In addition, a remarkable infra-red emission in the hybrid nanostructures is observed and interpreted on the basis of intra-band transitions in Au NPs. The flake-like nanoporous VG structure is invoked for the generation of additional confined photons to impart additional momentum and a gradient of confined excitation energy towards initiating the intra-band transitions of Au NPs. Integrating Au plasmonic materials in three-dimensional VG nanostructures enhances the light-matter interactions. The present study provides a new adaptable plasmonic assisted pathway for optoelectronic and sensing applications.

  4. Fabrication Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance sensor chip of gold nanoparticles and detection lipase–osmolytes interaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghodselahi, T., E-mail: t_ghodselahi@yahoo.com [Nano Mabna Iranian Inc., PO Box 1676664116, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); School of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, PO Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Hoornam, S. [Nano Mabna Iranian Inc., PO Box 1676664116, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); School of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, PO Box 19395-5531, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Science, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Vesaghi, M.A. [Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, PO Box 11365-9161, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ranjbar, B.; Azizi, A. [Department of Biophysics, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mobasheri, H. [Laboratory of Membrane Biophysics, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran, PO Box 13145-1384, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Biomaterials Research Institute (BRC), University of Tehran, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2014-09-30

    Highlights: • We synthesized localized surface plasmon resonance sensor of gold nanoparticles by RF-sputtering and RF-PECVD. • LSPR sensor was characterized by TEM, XPS, AFM. • LSPR sensor was utilized to detect interaction between sorbitol and trehalose, with Pesudomonace Cepacia Lipase (PCL). • Unlike to trehalose, sorbitol interacts with the PCL. • Refractive index of PCL was obtained by Mie theory modeling. - Abstract: Co-deposition of RF-sputtering and RF-PECVD from acetylene gas and Au target were used to prepare sensor chip of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Deposition conditions were optimized to reach a Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) sensor chip of Au NPs with particle size less than 10 nm. The RF power was set at 180 W and the initial gas pressure was set at 0.035 mbar. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) data were used to investigate particles size and surface morphology of LSPR sensor chip. The Au and C content of the LSPR sensor chip of Au NPs was obtained from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) thin film was used as intermediate material to immobilize Au NPs on the SiO{sub 2} substrate. The interaction between two types of osmolytes, i.e. sorbitol and trehalose, with Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PCL) were detected by the prepared LSPR biosensor chip. The detection mechanism is based on LSPR spectroscopy in which the wavelength of absorption peak is sensitive to the refractive index of the environment of the Au NPs. This mechanism eliminates the use of a probe or immobilization of PCL on the Au NPs of LSPR sensor chip. The interaction between PCL and osmolytes can change refractive index of the mixture or solution. We found that unlike to trehalose, sorbitol interacts with the PCL. This interaction increases refractive index of the PCL and sorbitol mixture. Refractive index of PCL in the presence of different concentration of sorbitol was

  5. Refracting surface plasmon polaritons with nanoparticle arrays

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Radko, I.P.; Evlyukhin, A.B.; Boltasseva, Alexandra

    2008-01-01

    Refraction of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) by various structures formed by a 100-nm-period square lattice of gold nanoparticles on top of a gold film is studied by leakage radiation microscopy. SPP refraction by a triangular-shaped nanoparticle array indicates that the SPP effective refractive...... to design nanoparticle arrays for specific applications requiring in-plane SPP manipulation....

  6. Stepwise synthesis of cubic Au-AgCdS core-shell nanostructures with tunable plasmon resonances and fluorescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xiao-Li; Liang, Shan; Nan, Fan; Pan, Yue-Yue; Shi, Jun-Jun; Zhou, Li; Jia, Shuang-Feng; Wang, Jian-Bo; Yu, Xue-Feng; Wang, Qu-Quan

    2013-10-21

    Cubic Au-AgCdS core-shell nanostructures were synthesized through cation exchange method assisted by tributylphosphine (TBP) as a phase-transfer agent. Among intermediate products, Au-Ag core-shell nanocubes exhibited many high-order plasmon resonance modes related to the special cubic shape, and these plasmon bands red-shifted along with the increasing of particle size. The plasmon band of Au core first red-shifted and broadened at the step of Au-Ag₂S and then blue-shifted and narrowed at the step of Au-AgCdS. Since TBP was very crucial for the efficient conversion from Ag₂S to CdS, we found that both absorption and fluorescence of the final products could be controlled by TBP.

  7. Post-fabrication voltage controlled resonance tuning of nanoscale plasmonic antennas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lumdee, Chatdanai; Toroghi, Seyfollah; Kik, Pieter G

    2012-07-24

    Voltage controlled wavelength tuning of the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles on an aluminum film is demonstrated in single particle microscopy and spectroscopy measurements. Anodization of the Al film after nanoparticle deposition forms an aluminum oxide spacer layer between the gold particles and the Al film, modifying the particle-substrate interaction. Darkfield microscopy reveals ring-shaped scattering images from individual Au nanoparticles, indicative of plasmon resonances with a dipole moment normal to the substrate. Single particle scattering spectra show narrow plasmon resonances that can be tuned from ~580 to ~550 nm as the anodization voltage increases to 12 V. All observed experimental trends could be reproduced in numerical simulations. The presented approach could be used as a general postfabrication resonance optimization step of plasmonic nanoantennas and devices.

  8. Thermodynamic Constraints in Using AuM (M = Fe, Co, Ni, and Mo) Alloys as N₂ Dissociation Catalysts: Functionalizing a Plasmon-Active Metal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martirez, John Mark P; Carter, Emily A

    2016-02-23

    The Haber-Bosch process for NH3 synthesis is arguably one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, with a massive footprint in agriculture and, historically, warfare. Current catalysts for this reaction use Fe for N2 activation, conducted at high temperatures and pressures to improve conversion rate and efficiency. A recent finding shows that plasmonic metal nanoparticles can either generate highly reactive electrons and holes or induce resonant surface excitations through plasmonic decay, which catalyze dissociation and redox reactions under mild conditions. It is therefore appealing to consider AuM (M = Fe, Co, Ni, and Mo) alloys to combine the strongly plasmonic nature of Au and the catalytic nature of M metals toward N2 dissociation, which together might facilitate ammonia production. To this end, through density functional theory, we (i) explore the feasibility of forming these surface alloys, (ii) find a pathway that may stabilize/deactivate surface M substituents during fabrication, and (iii) define a complementary route to reactivate them under operational conditions. Finally, we evaluate their reactivity toward N2, as well as their ability to support a pathway for N2 dissociation with a low thermodynamic barrier. We find that AuFe possesses similar appealing qualities, including relative stability with respect to phase separation, reversibility of Fe oxidation and reduction, and reactivity toward N2. While AuMo achieves the best affinity toward N2, its strong propensity toward oxidation could greatly limit its use.

  9. Enhanced spectrophotometric detection of Hg in water samples by surface plasmon resonance of Au nanoparticles after preconcentration with vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinis, Estefanía M.; Wuilloud, Rodolfo G.

    2016-10-01

    This article presents an efficient, simple, and cost-effective method for the determination of trace amounts of Hg by vortex-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (VALLME) coupled to microvolume UV-Vis spectrophotometry. This method correlates changes in the intensity of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of tetraoctylammonium bromide (TOABr) coated Au nanoparticles (NPs) after interaction with Hg2+ ion. Spectroscopic measurements of the TOABr-coated Au NPs phase with particular absorption properties (strong and well-defined absorption bands) after analyte extraction by VALLME, provide an accurate and sensitive determination of Hg in water samples, comparable with measurements obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Different variables including sample volume, extraction time, and TOABr-coated Au NPs dispersion volume were carefully studied; final experimental conditions were 5 mL, 120 μL and 5 min respectively. The limit of detection (LOD) was 0.8 ng mL- 1. The calibration curve was linear at concentrations between the limit of quantification (LOQ) (4.9 ng mL- 1) and up to at least 120 ng mL- 1 of Hg. The relative standard deviation for six replicate determinations of 20 ng mL- 1 of Hg was 4.7%. This method exhibited an excellent analytical performance in terms of selectivity and sensitivity and it was finally applied for Hg determination in spiked tap and mineral water samples.

  10. Au-nanoparticles grafted on plasma treated PE

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svorcik, V.; Chaloupka, A.; Rezanka, P.; Slepicka, P.; Kolska, Z.; Kasalkova, N.; Hubacek, T.; Siegel, J.

    2010-01-01

    Polyethylene (PE) surface was treated with Ar plasma. Activated surface was grafted from methanol solution of 1,2-ethanedithiol. Then the sample was immersed into freshly prepared colloid solution of Au-nanoparticles. Finally Au layer was sputtered on the samples. Properties of the modified PE were studied using various methods: AFM, EPR, RBS and nanoindentation. It was shown that the plasma treatment results in degradation of polymer chain (AFM) and creation of free radicals by EPR. After grafting with dithiol, the concentration of free radicals declines. The presence of Au and S in the surface layer after the coating with Au-nanoparticles was proved by RBS. Plasma treatment changes PE surface morphology and increases surface roughness, too. Another significant change in surface morphology and roughness was observed after deposition of Au-nanoparticles. Nanoindentation measurements show that the grafting with Au-nanoparticles increases adhesion of subsequently sputtered Au layer.

  11. Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu

    2016-01-01

    Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

  12. Ethanol Sensing Properties of Au-functionalized NiO Nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Sunghoon; Kheel, Hyejoon; Sun, Gun-Joo; Hyun, Soong Keun; Park, Sang Eon; Lee, Chongmu [Inha University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-05-15

    Pristine and Au-functionalized nickel oxide (NiO) nanoparticles were synthesized via a simple solvo thermal route and the ethanol sensing properties of multiple-networked Au-doped and undoped NiO nanoparticle sensors were examined. The pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed responses of 442 and 273%, respectively, to 1000 ppm of ethanol at 325 .deg. C. The Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensor showed faster response than the pristine NiO counterpart, whereas the recovery time of the former was similar to that of the latter. The optimal operating temperature of the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles was 325 and 350 .deg. C, respectively, by Au-doping. Both the pristine and Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticle sensors showed selectivity for ethanol gas over methanol, acetone, benzene, and toluene gases. The underlying mechanism of the enhanced sensing performance of the Au-functionalized NiO nanoparticles toward ethanol might be due to modulation of the depletion layer formed around Au particles and the Schottky barriers formed at the Au-NiO junction accompanying ethanol adsorption and desorption, the spill-over effect and high catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles and the smaller diameter of the particles in the Au-functionalized NiO sensor.

  13. Au/ZnO nanoarchitectures with Au as both supporter and antenna of visible-light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Tianyu; Chen, Wei; Hua, Yuxiang; Liu, Xiaoheng, E-mail: xhliu@mail.njust.edu.cn

    2017-01-15

    Highlights: • An inversed Au/ZnO nanostructure was fabricated with ZnO loaded onto Au. • The Au/ZnO nanocomposites showed enhanced properties in visible-light photocatalysis. • The SPR effect of Au was considered important for visible-light photocatalysis. - Abstract: In this paper, we fabricate Au/ZnO nanostructure with smaller ZnO nanoparticles loaded onto bigger gold nanoparticles via combining seed-mediated method and sol-gel method. The obtained Au/ZnO nanocomposites exhibit excellent properties in photocatalysis process like methyl orange (MO) degradation and oxidative conversion of methanol into formaldehyde under visible light irradiation. The enhanced properties were ascribed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Au nanoparticles, which could contribute to the separation of photo-excited electrons and holes and facilitate the process of absorbing visible light. This paper contributes to the emergence of multi-functional nanocomposites with possible applications in visible-light driven photocatalysts and makes the Au/ZnO photocatalyst an exceptional choice for practical applications such as environmental purification of organic pollutants in aqueous solution and the synthesis of fine chemicals and intermediates.

  14. Au/ZnO nanoarchitectures with Au as both supporter and antenna of visible-light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Tianyu; Chen, Wei; Hua, Yuxiang; Liu, Xiaoheng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • An inversed Au/ZnO nanostructure was fabricated with ZnO loaded onto Au. • The Au/ZnO nanocomposites showed enhanced properties in visible-light photocatalysis. • The SPR effect of Au was considered important for visible-light photocatalysis. - Abstract: In this paper, we fabricate Au/ZnO nanostructure with smaller ZnO nanoparticles loaded onto bigger gold nanoparticles via combining seed-mediated method and sol-gel method. The obtained Au/ZnO nanocomposites exhibit excellent properties in photocatalysis process like methyl orange (MO) degradation and oxidative conversion of methanol into formaldehyde under visible light irradiation. The enhanced properties were ascribed to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of Au nanoparticles, which could contribute to the separation of photo-excited electrons and holes and facilitate the process of absorbing visible light. This paper contributes to the emergence of multi-functional nanocomposites with possible applications in visible-light driven photocatalysts and makes the Au/ZnO photocatalyst an exceptional choice for practical applications such as environmental purification of organic pollutants in aqueous solution and the synthesis of fine chemicals and intermediates.

  15. Crystal Structure of Faradaurate-279: Au279(SPh-tBu)84 Plasmonic Nanocrystal Molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakthivel, Naga Arjun; Theivendran, Shevanuja; Ganeshraj, Vigneshraja; Oliver, Allen G; Dass, Amala

    2017-11-01

    We report the discovery of an unprecedentedly large, 2.2 nm diameter, thiolate protected gold nanocrystal characterized by single crystal X-ray crystallography (sc-XRD), Au 279 (SPh-tBu) 84 named Faradaurate-279 (F-279) in honor of Michael Faraday's (1857) pioneering work on nanoparticles. F-279 nanocrystal has a core-shell structure containing a truncated octahedral core with bulk face-centered cubic-like arrangement, yet a nanomolecule with a precise number of metal atoms and thiolate ligands. The Au 279 S 84 geometry was established from a low-temperature 120 K sc-XRD study at 0.90 Å resolution. The atom counts in core-shell structure of Au 279 follows the mathematical formula for magic number shells: Au@Au 12 @Au 42 @Au 92 @Au 54 , which is further protected by a final shell of Au 48 . Au 249 core is protected by three types of staple motifs, namely: 30 bridging, 18 monomeric, and 6 dimeric staple motifs. Despite the presence of such diverse staple motifs, Au 279 S 84 structure has a chiral pseudo-D 3 symmetry. The core-shell structure can be viewed as nested, concentric polyhedra, containing a total of five forms of Archimedean solids. A comparison between the Au 279 and Au 309 cuboctahedral superatom model in shell-wise growth is illustrated. F-279 can be synthesized and isolated in high purity in milligram quantities using size exclusion chromatography, as evidenced by mass spectrometry. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry independently verifies the X-ray diffraction study based heavy atoms formula, Au 279 S 84 , and establishes the molecular formula with the complete ligands, namely, Au 279 (SPh-tBu) 84 . It is also the smallest gold nanocrystal to exhibit metallic behavior, with a surface plasmon resonance band around 510 nm.

  16. Manipulating the optical properties of dual implanted Au and Zn nanoparticles in sapphire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epie, E. N.; Scott, D.; Chu, W. K.

    2017-11-01

    We have synthesized and manipulated the optical properties of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) by using a combination of low-energy high-fluence dual implantation and thermal annealing. We demonstrated that by implanting Zn before Au, the resulting absorption peak is enormously blue-shifted by 120 nm with respect to that of Au-only implanted samples. This magnitude of optical shift is not characteristic of unalloyed Au and to the best of our knowledge cannot be attributed to NP size change alone. On the other hand, the absorption peak for samples implanted with Au followed by Zn is blue-shifted about 20 nm. Additionally, by carefully annealing all implanted samples, both NP size distribution and corresponding optical properties can be further modified in a controlled manner. We attribute these behaviours to nanoalloy formation. This work provides a direct method for synthesizing and manipulating both the plasmonic and structural properties of metallic alloy NP in various transparent dielectrics for diverse applications.

  17. Chlorine triggered de-alloying of AuAg@Carbon nanodots: Towards fabrication of a dual signalling assay combining the plasmonic property of bimetallic alloy nanoparticles and photoluminescence of carbon nanodots

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mohammadpour, Zahra; Safavi, Afsaneh, E-mail: safavi@susc.ac.ir; Abdollahi, Seyyed Hossein

    2017-03-22

    Integration of Au-Ag alloy and fluorescent carbon nanodots (C-dots) into a single platform resulted in a new dual sensing assay for chlorine. Selective etching of Ag from AuAg@C-dots was transformed into: (i) colorimetric signal by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) tuning of the alloy and (ii) fluorimetric signal by perturbation of fluorescence energy transfer between C-dots and alloy nanoparticles. Fast oxidizing of silver atoms incorporated in the bimetallic structure induced by chlorine resulted in selective de-alloying of bimetallic hybrid nanoparticles and an intense visible change of the colloidal dispersion color. On the other hand, the systematic change in Au/Ag ratio strongly affected the emission intensity of C-dots in the hybrid structure leading to an enhancement in the fluorescence signal. Thus, the assay enables the detection of chlorine both under visible and UV lights with high sensitivity. The detection limit (DL) values were calculated as 6.2 × 10{sup −7} M and 5.1 × 10{sup −7} M through colorimetric and fluorimetric pathways, respectively. Most importantly, it was demonstrated to be selective over common cations, anions and some reactive oxygen species (ROS). This assay was successfully applied to the determination of chlorine concentration in bleach solution and tap water. It is robust and is suitable for cost effective chlorine measurement in environmental samples. - Highlights: • A new dual signalling assay for hypochlorite ion is introduced. • Bimetallic Au-Ag nanoparticles are hybridized with fluorescent carbon nanodots. • It shows amplified colorimetric response with respect to monometallic counterparts. • This sensor is multifunctional, robust, rapid and sensitive. • The practical applicability is investigated for environmental monitoring.

  18. Twin-assisted growth of nominally stable substrates underneath dewetted Au nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Fang; Xie, Dong Yue; Majdi, Tahereh; Zhu, Guo-zhen

    2016-01-01

    By applying a simple and inexpensive thermal treatment, we synthesized supported gold-oxide nanostructures, which have potential applications to plasmonic devices and biosensors. The regrowth of nominally stable substrates under gold nanoparticles is associated with the appearance of preferential orientations of dewetted nanoparticles and the formation of atomically sharp interfacial monolayers. Steps present at the interfacial monolayer usually occur at defects including the intersection points of twin planes at the interface. They were related to the nucleation and immigration of the interfacial monolayers, prompting the substrate regrowth. Accordingly, we proposed the twin-assisted growth mechanism, which provides insight on the synthesis of gold-oxide nanostructures. - Highlights: • The twin-assisted growth mechanism is proposed for the abnormal regrowth of substrate underneath Au nanoparticles. • The substrate regrowth is related to the steps and ledges that are present at the Au–MgAl_2O_4 interfacial monolayers. • Interfacial steps are detected at defects such as the intersecting points of twin planes at the interface.

  19. Twin-assisted growth of nominally stable substrates underneath dewetted Au nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Fang; Xie, Dong Yue [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai 200240 (China); Majdi, Tahereh [Department of Engineering Physics, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7 (Canada); Zhu, Guo-zhen, E-mail: zhugz@sjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., Shanghai 200240 (China)

    2016-03-15

    By applying a simple and inexpensive thermal treatment, we synthesized supported gold-oxide nanostructures, which have potential applications to plasmonic devices and biosensors. The regrowth of nominally stable substrates under gold nanoparticles is associated with the appearance of preferential orientations of dewetted nanoparticles and the formation of atomically sharp interfacial monolayers. Steps present at the interfacial monolayer usually occur at defects including the intersection points of twin planes at the interface. They were related to the nucleation and immigration of the interfacial monolayers, prompting the substrate regrowth. Accordingly, we proposed the twin-assisted growth mechanism, which provides insight on the synthesis of gold-oxide nanostructures. - Highlights: • The twin-assisted growth mechanism is proposed for the abnormal regrowth of substrate underneath Au nanoparticles. • The substrate regrowth is related to the steps and ledges that are present at the Au–MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} interfacial monolayers. • Interfacial steps are detected at defects such as the intersecting points of twin planes at the interface.

  20. Plasmonic colorimetric sensors based on etching and growth of noble metal nanoparticles: Strategies and applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhiyang; Wang, Han; Chen, Zhaopeng; Wang, Xiaoyan; Choo, Jaebum; Chen, Lingxin

    2018-08-30

    Plasmonic colorimetric sensors have emerged as a powerful tool in chemical and biological sensing applications due to the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) extinction in the visible range. Among the plasmonic sensors, the most famous sensing mode is the "aggregation" plasmonic colorimetric sensor which is based on plasmon coupling due to nanoparticle aggregation. Herein, this review focuses on the newly-developing plasmonic colorimetric sensing mode - the etching or the growth of metal nanoparticles induces plasmon changes, namely, "non-aggregation" plasmonic colorimetric sensor. This type of sensors has attracted increasing interest because of their exciting properties of high sensitivity, multi-color changes, and applicability to make a test strip. Of particular interest, the test strip by immobilization of nanoparticles on the substrate can avoid the influence of nanoparticle auto-aggregation and increase the simplicity in storage and use. Although there are many excellent reviews available that describe the advance of plasmonic sensors, limited attention has been paid to the plasmonic colorimetric sensors based on etching or growth of metal nanoparticles. This review highlights recent progress on strategies and application of "non-aggregation" plasmonic colorimetric sensors. We also provide some personal insights into current challenges associated with "non-aggregation" plasmonic colorimetric sensors and propose future research directions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. High-resolution electron-beam patternable nanocomposite containing metal nanoparticles for plasmonics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abargues, R; Marques-Hueso, J; Canet-Ferrer, J; Pedrueza, E; Valdes, J L; Jimenez, E; MartInez-Pastor, J P

    2008-01-01

    Polymer nanocomposites containing noble metal nanoparticles are promising materials for plasmonic applications. In this paper, we report on a high-resolution negative-tone nanocomposite resist based on poly(vinyl alcohol) where silver nanoparticles and nanopatterns are simultaneously generated by electron-beam lithography. Our results indicate nanostructures with a relatively high concentration of nanoparticles and, consequently, an electromagnetic coupling among the nanoparticles. Therefore, the patternable nanocomposite described in this work may be a suitable material for future plasmonic circuitry

  2. Origanum vulgare mediated green synthesis of biocompatible gold nanoparticles simultaneously possessing plasmonic, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benedec D

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Daniela Benedec,1,* Ilioara Oniga,1,* Flavia Cuibus,1 Bogdan Sevastre,2 Gabriela Stiufiuc,3 Mihaela Duma,4 Daniela Hanganu,1 Cristian Iacovita,1 Rares Stiufiuc,1,5 Constantin Mihai Lucaciu1 1Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 3Faculty of Physics, “Babeş Bolyai” University, 4State Veterinary Laboratory for Animal Health and Safety, 5Department of Bionanoscopy, MedFuture Research Center for Advance Medicine, “Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: The leaves and flowering stem of Origanum vulgare contain essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids and anthocyanins. We propose a new, simple, one-pot, O. vulgare extract (OVE mediated green synthesis method of biocompatible gold nanoparticles (AuNPs possessing improved antioxidant, antimicrobial and plasmonic properties.Materials and methods: Different concentrations of OVEs were used to reduce gold ions and to synthetize biocompatible spherical AuNPs. Their morphology and physical properties have been investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, whereas their plasmonic properties have been tested using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS. The antioxidant properties of nanoparticles (NPs have been evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, and the antimicrobial tests were performed using the disk diffusion assay. Their cytotoxicity has been assessed by means of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay.Results: The experimental results confirmed the successful synthesis of biocompatible, spherical, plasmonic NPs having a mean diameter of ~40 nm and an outstanding aqueous

  3. Colloidal Plasmonic Titanium Nitride Nanoparticles: Properties and Applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Guler, Urcan; Suslov, Sergey; Kildishev, Alexander V.

    2015-01-01

    Optical properties of colloidal plasmonic titanium nitride nanoparticles are examined with an eye on their photothermal and photocatalytic applications via transmission electron microscopy and optical transmittance measurements. Single crystal titanium nitride cubic nanoparticles with an average ...

  4. Surface Plasmon Enhanced Photocatalysis of Au/Pt-decorated TiO2 Nanopillar Arrays

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuang, Shuang; Lv, Ruitao; Xie, Zheng; Zhang, Zhengjun

    2016-05-01

    The low quantum yields and lack of visible light utilization hinder the practical application of TiO2 in high-performance photocatalysis. Herein, we present a design of TiO2 nanopillar arrays (NPAs) decorated with both Au and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) directly synthesized through successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) at room temperature. Au/Pt NPs with sizes of ~4 nm are well-dispersed on the TiO2 NPAs as evidenced by electron microscopic analyses. The present design of Au/Pt co-decoration on the TiO2 NPAs shows much higher visible and ultraviolet (UV) light absorption response, which leads to remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activities on both the dye degradation and photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. Its photocatalytic reaction efficiency is 21 and 13 times higher than that of pure TiO2 sample under UV-vis and visible light, respectively. This great enhancement can be attributed to the synergy of electron-sink function of Pt and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Au NPs, which significantly improves charge separation of photoexcited TiO2. Our studies demonstrate that through rational design of composite nanostructures one can harvest visible light through the SPR effect to enhance the photocatalytic activities initiated by UV-light, and thus realize more effectively utilization of the whole solar spectrum for energy conversion.

  5. Ultraviolet Plasmonic Aluminium Nanoparticles for Highly Efficient Light Incoupling on Silicon Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yinan Zhang

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Plasmonic metal nanoparticles supporting localized surface plasmon resonances have attracted a great deal of interest in boosting the light absorption in solar cells. Among the various plasmonic materials, the aluminium nanoparticles recently have become a rising star due to their unique ultraviolet plasmonic resonances, low cost, earth-abundance and high compatibility with the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS manufacturing process. Here, we report some key factors that determine the light incoupling of aluminium nanoparticles located on the front side of silicon solar cells. We first numerically study the scattering and absorption properties of the aluminium nanoparticles and the influence of the nanoparticle shape, size, surface coverage and the spacing layer on the light incoupling using the finite difference time domain method. Then, we experimentally integrate 100-nm aluminium nanoparticles on the front side of silicon solar cells with varying silicon nitride thicknesses. This study provides the fundamental insights for designing aluminium nanoparticle-based light trapping on solar cells.

  6. Demonstration of Improved Charge Transfer in Graphene/Au Nanorods Plasmonic Hybrids Stabilized by Benzyl Thiol Linkers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppe Valerio Bianco

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Hybrids based on graphene decorated with plasmonic gold (Au nanostructures are being investigated as possible materials combination to add to graphene functionalities of tunable plasmon resonance and enhanced absorption at selected wavelength in the visible-near-infrared region of the spectrum. Here, we report a solution drop-casting approach for fabricating stable hybrids based on chemical vapor deposition (CVD graphene and Au nanorods, which are able to activate effective charge transfer from graphene. We demonstrate that CVD graphene functionalization by benzyl thiol (BZT provides the linker to strong anchoring, via S-Au bonds, Au nanorods to graphene. Optical measurements by spectroscopic ellipsometry give evidence of the introduction of plasmon resonances at 1.85 and 2.25 eV in the Au nanorods/BZT/graphene hybrids, which enable surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS detection. Furthermore, an effective electron transfer from graphene to Au nanorods, resulting in an enhancement of p-type doping of graphene with a consequent decrease of its sheet resistance, is probed by Raman spectroscopy and corroborated by electrical measurements.

  7. Magnetic order of Au nanoparticle with clean surface

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sato, Ryuju; Ishikawa, Soichiro; Sato, Hiroyuki; Sato, Tetsuya, E-mail: satoh@appi.keio.ac.jp

    2015-11-01

    Au nanoparticles, which are kept in vacuum after the preparation by gas evaporation method, show ferromagnetism even in 1.7 nm in diameter. The intrinsic magnetism is examined by detecting the disappearance of spontaneous magnetization in Au bulk prepared by heating the nanoparticles without exposure to the air. The temperature dependence of spontaneous magnetization is not monotonic and the increase in magnetization is observed after Au nanoparticles are exposed to the air. The magnetic behavior can be interpreted by the ferrimagnetic-like core–shell structure with shell thickness of 0.16±0.01 nm and magnetic moment of (1.5±0.1)×10{sup −2} μ{sub B}/Au atom, respectively. - Highlights: • Au nanoparticles with clean surface were prepared by the gas evaporation method. • The spontaneous magnetization was observed in Au nanoparticles. • Temperature dependent spontaneous magnetization of smaller Au particles was not monotonic. • The magnetic behavior was interpreted by the ferrimagnetic-like core–shell model. • The shell thickness and the magnetic moment per Au atom were estimated.

  8. Au-Graphene Hybrid Plasmonic Nanostructure Sensor Based on Intensity Shift

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alharbi, Raed; Irannejad, Mehrdad; Yavuz, Mustafa

    2017-01-01

    Integrating plasmonic materials, like gold with a two-dimensional material (e.g., graphene) enhances the light-material interaction and, hence, plasmonic properties of the metallic nanostructure. A localized surface plasmon resonance sensor is an effective platform for biomarker detection. They offer a better bulk surface (local) sensitivity than a regular surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor; however, they suffer from a lower figure of merit compared to that one in a propagating surface plasmon resonance sensors. In this work, a decorated multilayer graphene film with an Au nanostructures was proposed as a liquid sensor. The results showed a significant improvement in the figure of merit compared with other reported localized surface plasmon resonance sensors. The maximum figure of merit and intensity sensitivity of 240 and 55 RIU−1 (refractive index unit) at refractive index change of 0.001 were achieved which indicate the capability of the proposed sensor to detect a small change in concentration of liquids in the ng/mL level which is essential in early-stage cancer disease detection. PMID:28106850

  9. Au-Graphene Hybrid Plasmonic Nanostructure Sensor Based on Intensity Shift

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raed Alharbi

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Integrating plasmonic materials, like gold with a two-dimensional material (e.g., graphene enhances the light-material interaction and, hence, plasmonic properties of the metallic nanostructure. A localized surface plasmon resonance sensor is an effective platform for biomarker detection. They offer a better bulk surface (local sensitivity than a regular surface plasmon resonance (SPR sensor; however, they suffer from a lower figure of merit compared to that one in a propagating surface plasmon resonance sensors. In this work, a decorated multilayer graphene film with an Au nanostructures was proposed as a liquid sensor. The results showed a significant improvement in the figure of merit compared with other reported localized surface plasmon resonance sensors. The maximum figure of merit and intensity sensitivity of 240 and 55 RIU−1 (refractive index unit at refractive index change of 0.001 were achieved which indicate the capability of the proposed sensor to detect a small change in concentration of liquids in the ng/mL level which is essential in early-stage cancer disease detection.

  10. Tunable long-distance light transportation along Au nanoparticle chains: promising for optical interconnect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Z.; Li, X. D.; Chen, T. P.

    2014-10-01

    Tunable light resonance transportation along a single long Au hemisphere nanoparticles (NPs) chain was studied. The realistic experimentally determined gold dielectric function was used for the simulation of Au localized surface plasmon polariton (LSPPs) effect. The resonance light energy with minimized attenuation and its bandwidth were quantitatively analyzed by inducing the effective mass which was observed to increase only with the length of Au NPs between the source and the test point. The geometric ratio g/ r of NP size and gap were investigated at 5 µm far of NPs with different gaps from 0 to 70 nm. Strongest resonance can be achieved with g/ r = 1.2 by the factor of 1.5 than the connected NPs. This resonance mode falls in the wavelength λ = 555 nm (green light), which is exactly the maximum sensitivity of a light-adapted eye of human beings.

  11. Synthesis of bi-phase dispersible core-shell FeAu@ZnO magneto-opto-fluorescent nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xue-Mei; Liu, Hong-Ling; Liu, Xiao; Fang, Ning; Wang, Xian-Hong; Wu, Jun-Hua

    2015-11-01

    Bi-phase dispersible core-shell FeAu@ZnO magneto-opto-fluorescent nanoparticles were synthesized by a modified nanoemulsion process using poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(propylene glycol)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PEO-PPO-PEO) as the surfactant. The morphology and crystal structure of the nanoparticles were studied by TEM/HRTEM and XRD. The nanoparticles manifest soft ferromagnetic and/or near superparamagnetic behavior with a small coercivity of ~19 Oe at room temperature. The corresponding magnetic hysteresis curves were elucidated by the modified Langevin equation. The FTIR study confirms the PEO-PPO-PEO molecules on the surface of the nanoparticles. The UV-vis and PL results reveal the well-behaved absorption bands including surface plasmon resonance and multiple visible fingerprint photoluminescent emissions of the nanoparticles dispersed in both hydrophilic and hydrophobic solvents. Moreover, the processes of solvent dispersion-collection of the nanoparticles were demonstrated for application readiness of such core-shell nanostructures.

  12. Direct optical measurement of light coupling into planar waveguide by plasmonic nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pennanen, Antti M; Toppari, J Jussi

    2013-01-14

    Coupling of light into a thin layer of high refractive index material by plasmonic nanoparticles has been widely studied for application in photovoltaic devices, such as thin-film solar cells. In numerous studies this coupling has been investigated through measurement of e.g. quantum efficiency or photocurrent enhancement. Here we present a direct optical measurement of light coupling into a waveguide by plasmonic nanoparticles. We investigate the coupling efficiency into the guided modes within the waveguide by illuminating the surface of a sample, consisting of a glass slide coated with a high refractive index planar waveguide and plasmonic nanoparticles, while directly measuring the intensity of the light emitted out of the waveguide edge. These experiments were complemented by transmittance and reflectance measurements. We show that the light coupling is strongly affected by thin-film interference, localized surface plasmon resonances of the nanoparticles and the illumination direction (front or rear).

  13. Plasmon-Induced Selective Enhancement of Green Emission in Lanthanide-Doped Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Weina; Li, Juan; Lei, Hongxiang; Li, Baojun

    2017-12-13

    By introducing an 18 nm thick Au nanofilm, selective enhancement of green emission from lanthanide-doped (β-NaYF 4 :Yb 3+ /Er 3+ ) upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) is demonstrated. The Au nanofilm is deposited on a microfiber surface by the sputtering method and then covered with the UCNPs. The plasma on the surface of the Au nanofilm can be excited by launching a 980 nm wavelength laser beam into the microfiber, resulting in an enhancement of the local electric field and a strong thermal effect. A 36-fold luminescence intensity enhancement of the UCNPs at 523 nm is observed, with no obvious reduction in the photostability of the UCNPs. Further, the intensity ratios of the emissions at 523-545 nm and at 523-655 nm are enhanced with increasing pump power, which is attributed to the increasing plasmon-induced thermal effect. Therefore, the fabricated device is further demonstrated to exhibit an excellent ability in temperature sensing. By controlling the pump power and the UCNP concentration, a wide temperature range (325-811 K) and a high temperature resolution (0.035-0.046 K) are achieved in the fabricated device.

  14. Photoluminescence enhancement of dye-doped nanoparticles by surface plasmon resonance effects of gold colloidal nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, Viet Ha; Nghiem, Thi Ha Lien; Tran, Hong Nhung; Fort, Emmanuel

    2011-01-01

    Due to the energy transfer from surface plasmons, the fluorescence of fluorophores near metallic nanostructures can be enhanced. This effect has been intensively studied recently for biosensor applications. This work reports on the luminescence enhancement of 100 nm Cy3 dye-doped polystyrene nanoparticles by energy transfer from surface plasmons of gold colloidal nanoparticles with sizes of 20 and 100 nm. Optimal luminescence enhancement of the fluorophores has been observed in the mixture with 20 nm gold nanoparticles. This can be attributed to the resonance energy transfer from gold nanoparticles to the fluorophore beads. The interaction between the fluorophores and gold particles is attributed to far-field interaction

  15. Optical Property Characterization of Novel Graphene-X (X=Ag, Au and Cu Nanoparticle Hybrids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sumit Ranjan Sahu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The present investigation reports new results on optical properties of graphene-metal nanocomposites. These composites were prepared by a solution-based chemical approach. Graphene has been prepared by thermal reduction of graphene oxide (GO at 90°C by hydrazine hydrate in an ammoniacal medium. This ammoniacal solution acts as a solvent as well as a basic medium where agglomeration of graphene can be prevented. This graphene solution has further been used for functionalization with Ag, Au, and Cu nanoparticles (NPs. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM to reveal the nature and type of interaction of metal nanoparticles with graphene. The results indicate distinct shift of graphene bands both in Raman and UV-Vis spectroscopies due to the presence of the metal nanoparticles. Raman spectroscopic analysis indicates blue shift of D and G bands in Raman spectra of graphene due to the presence of metal nanoparticles except for the G band of Cu-G, which undergoes red shift, reflecting the charge transfer interaction between graphene sheets and metal nanoparticles. UV-Vis spectroscopic analysis also indicates blue shift of graphene absorption peak in the hybrids. The plasmon peak position undergoes blue shift in Ag-G, whereas red shift is observed in Au-G and Cu-G.

  16. The effect of Au amount on size uniformity of self-assembled Au nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, S-H; Wang, D-C; Chen, G-Y; Chen, K-Y [Graduate School of Engineering Science and Technology, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan (China)

    2008-03-15

    The self-assembled fabrication of nanostructure, a dreaming approach in the area of fabrication engineering, is the ultimate goal of this research. A finding was proved through previous research that the size of the self-assembled gold nanoparticles could be controlled with the mole ratio between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol. In this study, the moles of Au were fixed, only the moles of thiol were adjusted. Five different mole ratios of Au/S with their effect on size uniformity were investigated. The mole ratios were 1:1/16, 1:1/8, 1:1, 1:8, 1:16, respectively. The size distributions of the gold nanoparticles were analyzed by Mac-View analysis software. HR-TEM was used to derive images of self-assembled gold nanoparticles. The result reached was also the higher the mole ratio between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol the bigger the self-assembled gold nanoparticles. Under the condition of moles of Au fixed, the most homogeneous nanoparticles in size distribution derived with the mole ratio of 1:1/8 between AuCl{sub 4}{sup -} and thiol. The obtained nanoparticles could be used, for example, in uniform surface nanofabrication, leading to the fabrication of ordered array of quantum dots.

  17. Comprehensive investigation of noble metal nanoparticles shape, size and material on the optical response of optimal plasmonic Y-splitter waveguides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadivand, Arash; Golmohammadi, Saeed

    2014-01-01

    With the purpose of guiding and splitting of optical power at C-band spectrum, we studied Y-shape splitters based on various shapes of nanoparticles as a plasmon waveguide. We applied different configurations of Gold (Au) and Silver (Ag) nanoparticles including spheres, rods and rings, to optimize the efficiency and losses of two and four-branch splitters. The best performance in light transportation specifically at telecom wavelength (λ≈1550 nm) is achieved by nanorings, due to an extra degree of freedom in their geometrical components. In addition, comparisons of several values for offset distance (doffset) of examined structures shows that Au nanoring splitters with feasible lower doffset have high quality in guiding and splitting of light through the structure. Finally, we studied four-branch Y-splitters based on Au and Ag nanorings with least possible offset distances to optimize the splitter performance. The power transmission as a key element is calculated for examined structures.

  18. Influence of nanoparticle–graphene separation on the localized surface plasmon resonances of metal nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masoudian Saadabad, Reza, E-mail: masoudian-reza@yahoo.com, E-mail: rms@mail.usb.ac.ir; Aporvari, Ahmad Shafiei [University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Department of Physics (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shirdel-Havar, Amir Hushang [Golestan University, Department of Physics (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Havar, Majid Shirdel [University of Kashan, Department of Physics (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-01-15

    We develop a theory to model the interaction of graphene substrate with localized plasmon resonances in metallic nanoparticles. The influence of a graphene substrate on the surface plasmon resonances is described using an effective background permittivity that is derived from a pseudoparticle concept using the electrostatic method. For this purpose, the interaction of metal nanoparticle with graphene sheet is studied to obtain the optical spectrum of gold nanoparticles deposited on a graphene substrate. Then, we introduce a factor based on dipole approximation to predict the influence of the separation of nanoparticles and graphene on the spectral position of the localized plasmon resonance of the nanoparticles. We applied the theory for a 4-nm-radius gold nanosphere placed near 1.5 nm graphene layer. It is shown that a blue shift is emerged in the position of plasmon resonance when the nanoparticle moves away from graphene.

  19. Single gold nanoparticle plasmonic spectroscopy for study of chemical-dependent efflux function of single ABC transporters of single live Bacillus subtilis cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Browning, Lauren M; Lee, Kerry J; Cherukuri, Pavan K; Huang, Tao; Songkiatisak, Preeyaporn; Warren, Seth; Xu, Xiao-Hong Nancy

    2018-03-26

    ATP-binding cassette (ABC) membrane transporters serve as self-defense transport apparatus in many living organisms and they can selectively extrude a wide variety of substrates, leading to multidrug resistance (MDR). The detailed molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Single nanoparticle plasmonic spectroscopy highly depends upon their sizes, shapes, chemical and surface properties. In our previous studies, we have used the size-dependent plasmonic spectra of single silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to study the real-time efflux kinetics of the ABC (BmrA) transporter and MexAB-OprM transporter in single live cells (Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterium), respectively. In this study, we prepared and used purified, biocompatible and stable (non-aggregated) gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) (12.4 ± 0.9 nm) to study the efflux kinetics of single BmrA membrane transporters of single live Bacillus subtillis cells, aiming to probe chemical dependent efflux functions of BmrA transporters and their potential chemical sensing capability. Similar to those observed using Ag NPs, accumulation of the intracellular Au NPs in single live cells (WT and ΔBmrA) highly depends upon the cellular expression of BmrA and the NP concentration (0.7 and 1.4 nM). The lower accumulation of intracellular Au NPs in WT (normal expression of BmrA) than ΔBmrA (deletion of bmrA) indicates that BmrA extrudes the Au NPs out of the WT cells. The accumulation of Au NPs in the cells increases with NP concentration, suggesting that the Au NPs most likely passively diffuse into the cells, similar to antibiotics. The result demonstrates that such small Au NPs can serve as imaging probes to study the efflux function of the BmrA membrane transporter in single live cells. Furthermore, the dependence of the accumulation rate of intracellular Au NPs in single live cells upon the expression of BmrA and the concentration of the NPs is about twice higher than that of the same sized Ag NPs. This interesting finding

  20. Two-dimensional ZnO ultrathin nanosheets decorated with Au nanoparticles for effective photocatalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Jin; You, Ning; Yu, Zhe; Zhou, Gang [College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); Xu, Xiaoyong, E-mail: xxy@yzu.edu.cn [College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225002 (China); State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096 (China)

    2016-08-21

    Two-dimensional (2D) materials, especially the inorganic 2D nanosheets (NSs), are of particular interest due to their unique structural and electronic properties, which are favorable for photoelectronic applications such as photocatalysis. Here, we design and fabricate the ultrathin 2D ZnO NSs decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), though molecular modelling 2D hydrothermal growth and followed by surface modification are used as an effective photocatalyst for photocatalytic organic dye degradation and hydrogen production. The ultrathin 2D nature enables ultrahigh atom ratio near surface to proliferate the active sites, and the Au plasmon plays a promoting role in the visible-light absorption and photogenerated charge separation, thus integrating the synergistic benefits to boost the redox reactions at catalyst/electrolyte interface. The AuNPs-decorated ZnO NSs yield the impressive photocatalytic activities such as the dye degradation rate constant of 7.69 × 10{sup −2} min{sup −1} and the hydrogen production rate of 350 μmol h{sup −1} g{sup −1}.

  1. Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticle-Embedded Silver Cubic Mesh Nanostructures Using AgCl Nanocubes for Plasmonic Photocatalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joo, Jang Ho; Kim, Byung-Ho; Lee, Jae-Seung

    2017-11-01

    A novel room-temperature aqueous synthesis for gold nanoparticle-embedded silver cubic mesh nanostructures using AgCl templates via a template-assisted coreduction method is developed. The cubic AgCl templates are coreduced in the presence of AuCl 4 - and Ag + , resulting in the reduction of AuCl 4 - into gold nanoparticles on the outer region of AgCl templates, followed by the reduction of AgCl and Ag + into silver cubic mesh nanostructures. Removal of the template clearly demonstrates the delicately designed silver mesh nanostructures embedded with gold nanoparticles. The synthetic mechanism, structural properties, and surface functionalization are spectroscopically investigated. The plasmonic photocatalysis of the cubic mesh nanostructures for the degradation of organic pollutants and removal of highly toxic metal ions is investigated; the photocatalytic activity of the cubic mesh nanostructures is superior to those of conventional TiO 2 catalysts and they are catalytically functional even in natural water, owing to their high surface area and excellent chemical stability. The synthetic development presented in this study can be exploited for the highly elaborate, yet, facile design of nanomaterials with outstanding properties. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. ITO/Au/ITO sandwich structure for near-infrared plasmonics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Xu; Mak, Chee Leung; Dai, Jiyan; Li, Kan; Ye, Hui; Leung, Chi Wah

    2014-09-24

    ITO/Au/ITO trilayers with varying gold spacer layer thicknesses were deposited on glass substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Transmission electron microscopy measurements demonstrated the continuous nature of the Au layer down to 2.4 nm. XRD patterns clearly showed an enhanced crystallinity of the ITO films promoted by the insertion of the gold layer. Compared with a single layer of ITO with a carrier concentration of 7.12 × 10(20) cm(-3), the ITO/Au/ITO structure achieved an effective carrier concentration as high as 3.26 × 10(22) cm(-3). Transmittance and ellipsometry measurements showed that the optical properties of ITO/Au/ITO films were greatly influenced by the thickness of the inserted gold layer. The cross-point wavelength of the trilayer samples was reduced with increasing gold layer thickness. Importantly, the trilayer structure exhibited a reduced loss (compared with plain Au) in the near-infrared region, suggesting its potential for plasmonic applications in the near-infrared range.

  3. Enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of α-Fe2O3 thin films by surface plasmon resonance of Au nanoparticles coupled with surface passivation by atom layer deposition of Al2O3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yuting; Xu, Zhen; Yin, Min; Fan, Haowen; Cheng, Weijie; Lu, Linfeng; Song, Ye; Ma, Jing; Zhu, Xufei

    2015-12-01

    The short lifetime of photogenerated charge carriers of hematite (α-Fe2O3) thin films strongly hindered the PEC performances. Herein, α-Fe2O3 thin films with surface nanowire were synthesized by electrodeposition and post annealing method for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water splitting. The thickness of the α-Fe2O3 films can be precisely controlled by adjusting the duration of the electrodeposition. The Au nanoparticles (NPs) and Al2O3 shell by atom layer deposition were further introduced to modify the photoelectrodes. Different constructions were made with different deposition orders of Au and Al2O3 on Fe2O3 films. The Fe2O3-Au-Al2O3 construction shows the best PEC performance with 1.78 times enhancement by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of NPs in conjunction with surface passivation of Al2O3 shells. Numerical simulation was carried out to investigate the promotion mechanisms. The high PEC performance for Fe2O3-Au-Al2O3 construction electrode could be attributed to the Al2O3 intensified LSPR, effective surface passivation by Al2O3 coating, and the efficient charge transfer due to the Fe2O3-Au Schottky junctions.

  4. Synthesis of hybrid Au–ZnO nanoparticles using a one pot polyol process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mezni, Amine [Unité de recherche “Synthèse et Structure de Nanomatériaux” UR11ES30, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna (Tunisia); Centre d' Elaboration de Matériaux et d' Etudes Structurales, CNRS, UPR 8011, Université de Toulouse, 29 Rue Jeanne Marvig, 31055 Toulouse (France); Mlayah, Adnen; Serin, Virginie [Centre d' Elaboration de Matériaux et d' Etudes Structurales, CNRS, UPR 8011, Université de Toulouse, 29 Rue Jeanne Marvig, 31055 Toulouse (France); Smiri, Leila Samia, E-mail: lsmiri@gmail.com [Unité de recherche “Synthèse et Structure de Nanomatériaux” UR11ES30, Faculté des Sciences de Bizerte, Université de Carthage, 7021 Jarzouna (Tunisia)

    2014-10-15

    In this work, we report on the synthesis of hybrid Au–ZnO nanoparticles using a one-pot chemical method that makes use of 1,3-propanediol as a solvent, a reducing agent and a stabilizing layer. The produced nanoparticles consisted of Au cores decorated with ZnO nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) and Raman spectroscopy. Optical extinction measurements, combined with numerical simulations, showed that the Au–ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a localized surface plasmon resonance (SPR) clearly red-shifted with respect to that of bare Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). This work contributes to the emergence of multi-functional nanomaterials with possible applications in surface plasmon resonance based biosensors, energy-conversion devices, and in water-splitting hydrogen production. - Highlights: • Hybrid Au–ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by a novel one-pot synthesis method that makes use of 1,3-propanediol. • The polyol solvent 1,3-propanediol plays the roles of the reducing agent and the stabilizer layer. • The Au–ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a strong localized surface plasmon resonance.

  5. Array of nanoparticles coupling with quantum-dot: Lattice plasmon quantum features

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salmanogli, Ahmad; Gecim, H. Selcuk

    2018-06-01

    In this study, we analyze the interaction of lattice plasmon with quantum-dot in order to mainly examine the quantum features of the lattice plasmon containing the photonic/plasmonic properties. Despite optical properties of the localized plasmon, the lattice plasmon severely depends on the array geometry, which may influence its quantum features such as uncertainty and the second-order correlation function. To investigate this interaction, we consider a closed system containing an array of the plasmonic nanoparticles and quantum-dot. We analyze this system with full quantum theory by which the array electric far field is quantized and the strength coupling of the quantum-dot array is analytically calculated. Moreover, the system's dynamics are evaluated and studied via the Heisenberg-Langevin equations to attain the system optical modes. We also analytically examine the Purcell factor, which shows the effect of the lattice plasmon on the quantum-dot spontaneous emission. Finally, the lattice plasmon uncertainty and its time evolution of the second-order correlation function at different spatial points are examined. These parameters are dramatically affected by the retarded field effect of the array nanoparticles. We found a severe quantum fluctuation at points where the lattice plasmon occurs, suggesting that the lattice plasmon photons are correlated.

  6. The effect of interaction between surface plasmons of gold nanoparticles and optical active centers on luminescence of Eu3+- doped Zn2SnO4 nanocrystals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thien, Nguyen Duy; Vu, Le Van; Long, Nguyen Ngoc

    2018-04-01

    The enhancement and quenching of Eu3+ ion emission were investigated in Zn2SnO4:Eu3+@Au (ZTO:Eu3+@Au) nanocomposites. Under 361 nm excitation we revealed the extinction of the intrinsic defect emission and the enhancement of Eu3+ ion emission when Au content in samples is increased, but under excitation wavelength of 394 nm we observed only the suppression of Eu3+ ion emission. The cause of the observed PL behavior is related to the interaction between surface plasmon induced by gold nanoparticles and luminescence centers in the samples.

  7. Instant synthesis of gold nanoparticles at room temperature and SERS applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Britto Hurtado, R.; Cortez-Valadez, M.; Ramírez-Rodríguez, L.P.; Larios-Rodriguez, Eduardo; Alvarez, Ramón A.B.; Rocha-Rocha, O.; Delgado-Beleño, Y.; Martinez-Nuñez, C.E.; Arizpe-Chávez, H.; Hernández-Martínez, A.R.; Flores-Acosta, M.

    2016-01-01

    Nowadays, gold nanoparticles (AuNps) can be used in a variety of applications, thus efficient methods to produce them are necessary. Several methods have been proposed in this area, but NPs production time is one limitation of these approaches. In this study, we propose a high competitive method to synthesize gold colloidal nanoparticles, instantaneously, using no-toxic reducing agents. These substances allow the instantaneous synthesis at room temperature, even without magnetic stirrers, ovens or ultrasonic baths. Optic analysis showed two absorption bands, associated with surface Plasmon as function of HAuCl_4 concentration. The nanoparticles synthesized have a 10–20 nm size, seen by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Therefore, it was possible to obtain several geometric patterns of AuNps, and the synthesis was performed reducing significantly processing time. Additionally, Mie and Fuchs theories were used to predict the location of the absorption bands linked to the plasmon surface in gold nanoparticles. The Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) effect was analyzed considering natural zeolite (Chabazite) as analyte, in order to determinate its possible application in soil analysis. - Highlights: • Cubic and spherical morphologies in AuNp. • Surface plasmon prediction in cubic and spherical AuNp. • Instant synthesis of AuNp. • SERS applications in soil analysis.

  8. Instant synthesis of gold nanoparticles at room temperature and SERS applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Britto Hurtado, R. [Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Cortez-Valadez, M., E-mail: jose.cortez@unison.mx [CONACYT-Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Ramírez-Rodríguez, L.P. [Departamento de Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Larios-Rodriguez, Eduardo [Departamento de Ingeniería Química y Metalurgia, Universidad de Sonora, Rosales y Luis Encinas S/N, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Alvarez, Ramón A.B.; Rocha-Rocha, O.; Delgado-Beleño, Y.; Martinez-Nuñez, C.E.; Arizpe-Chávez, H. [Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Hernández-Martínez, A.R. [Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada (CFATA), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Querétaro C.P. 76130 (Mexico); Flores-Acosta, M. [Departamento de Investigación en Física, Universidad de Sonora, Apdo. Postal 5-88, 83190, Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico)

    2016-08-06

    Nowadays, gold nanoparticles (AuNps) can be used in a variety of applications, thus efficient methods to produce them are necessary. Several methods have been proposed in this area, but NPs production time is one limitation of these approaches. In this study, we propose a high competitive method to synthesize gold colloidal nanoparticles, instantaneously, using no-toxic reducing agents. These substances allow the instantaneous synthesis at room temperature, even without magnetic stirrers, ovens or ultrasonic baths. Optic analysis showed two absorption bands, associated with surface Plasmon as function of HAuCl{sub 4} concentration. The nanoparticles synthesized have a 10–20 nm size, seen by the transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Therefore, it was possible to obtain several geometric patterns of AuNps, and the synthesis was performed reducing significantly processing time. Additionally, Mie and Fuchs theories were used to predict the location of the absorption bands linked to the plasmon surface in gold nanoparticles. The Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) effect was analyzed considering natural zeolite (Chabazite) as analyte, in order to determinate its possible application in soil analysis. - Highlights: • Cubic and spherical morphologies in AuNp. • Surface plasmon prediction in cubic and spherical AuNp. • Instant synthesis of AuNp. • SERS applications in soil analysis.

  9. ALD-Developed Plasmonic Two-Dimensional Au-WO3-TiO2 Heterojunction Architectonics for Design of Photovoltaic Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karbalaei Akbari, Mohammad; Hai, Zhenyin; Wei, Zihan; Detavernier, Christophe; Solano, Eduardo; Verpoort, Francis; Zhuiykov, Serge

    2018-03-28

    Electrically responsive plasmonic devices, which benefit from the privilege of surface plasmon excited hot carries, have supported fascinating applications in the visible-light-assisted technologies. The properties of plasmonic devices can be tuned by controlling charge transfer. It can be attained by intentional architecturing of the metal-semiconductor (MS) interfaces. In this study, the wafer-scaled fabrication of two-dimensional (2D) TiO 2 semiconductors on the granular Au metal substrate is achieved using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The ALD-developed 2D MS heterojunctions exhibited substantial enhancement of the photoresponsivity and demonstrated the improvement of response time for 2D Au-TiO 2 -based plasmonic devices under visible light illumination. To circumvent the undesired dark current in the plasmonic devices, a 2D WO 3 nanofilm (∼0.7 nm) was employed as the intermediate layer on the MS interface to develop the metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) 2D heterostructure. As a result, 13.4% improvement of the external quantum efficiency was obtained for fabricated 2D Au-WO 3 -TiO 2 heterojunctions. The impedancometry measurements confirmed the modulation of charge transfer at the 2D MS interface using MIS architectonics. Broadband photoresponsivity from the UV to the visible light region was observed for Au-TiO 2 and Au-WO 3 -TiO 2 heterostructures, whereas near-infrared responsivity was not observed. Consequently, considering the versatile nature of the ALD technique, this approach can facilitate the architecturing and design of novel 2D MS and MIS heterojunctions for efficient plasmonic devices.

  10. Magnetic Au Nanoparticles on Archaeal S-Layer Ghosts as Templates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonja Selenska-Pobell

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Cell‐ghosts representing empty cells of the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius, consisting only of their highly ordered and unusually stable outermost proteinaceous surface layer (S‐layer, were used as templates for Au nanoparticles fabrication. The properties of these archaeal Au nanoparticles differ significantly from those produced earlier by us onto bacterial S‐layer sheets. The archaeal Au nanoparticles, with a size of about 2.5 nm, consist exclusively of metallic Au(0, while those produced on the bacterial S‐layer had a size of about 4 nm and represented a mixture of Au(0 and Au(III in the ratio of 40 to 60 %. The most impressive feature of the archaeal Au nanoparticles is that they are strongly paramagnetic, in contrast to the bacterial ones and also to bulk gold. SQUID magnetometry and XMCD measurements demonstrated that the archaeal Au nanoparticles possess a rather large magnetic moment of about 0.1 µB/atom. HR‐ TEM‐EDX analysis revealed that the archaeal Au nanoparticles are linked to the sulfur atoms of the thiol groups of the amino acid cysteine, characteristic only for archaeal S‐layers. This is the first study demonstrating the formation of such unusually strong magnetic Au nanoparticles on a non‐modified archaeal S‐layer.

  11. Simultaneous Detection and Removal of Formaldehyde at Room Temperature: Janus Au@ZnO@ZIF-8 Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dawei; Li, Zhiwei; Zhou, Jian; Fang, Hong; He, Xiang; Jena, Puru; Zeng, Jing-Bin; Wang, Wei-Ning

    2018-03-01

    The detection and removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are of great importance to reduce the risk of indoor air quality concerns. This study reports the rational synthesis of a dual-functional Janus nanostructure and its feasibility for simultaneous detection and removal of VOCs. The Janus nanostructure was synthesized via an anisotropic growth method, composed of plasmonic nanoparticles, semiconductors, and metal organic frameworks (e.g., Au@ZnO@ZIF-8). It exhibits excellent selective detection to formaldehyde (HCHO, as a representative VOC) at room temperature over a wide range of concentrations (from 0.25 to 100 ppm), even in the presence of water and toluene molecules as interferences. In addition, HCHO was also found to be partially oxidized into non-toxic formic acid simultaneously with detection. The mechanism underlying this technology was unraveled by both experimental measurements and theoretical calculations: ZnO maintains the conductivity, while ZIF-8 improves the selective gas adsorption; the plasmonic effect of Au nanorods enhances the visible-light-driven photocatalysis of ZnO at room temperature. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  12. Optical absorption of carbon-gold core-shell nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhaolong; Quan, Xiaojun; Zhang, Zhuomin; Cheng, Ping

    2018-01-01

    In order to enhance the solar thermal energy conversion efficiency, we propose to use carbon-gold core-shell nanoparticles dispersed in liquid water. This work demonstrates theoretically that an absorbing carbon (C) core enclosed in a plasmonic gold (Au) nanoshell can enhance the absorption peak while broadening the absorption band; giving rise to a much higher solar absorption than most previously studied core-shell combinations. The exact Mie solution is used to evaluate the absorption efficiency factor of spherical nanoparticles in the wavelength region from 300 nm to 1100 nm as well as the electric field and power dissipation profiles inside the nanoparticles at specified wavelengths (mostly at the localized surface plasmon resonance wavelength). The field enhancement by the localized plasmons at the gold surfaces boosts the absorption of the carbon particle, resulting in a redshift of the absorption peak with increased peak height and bandwidth. In addition to spherical nanoparticles, we use the finite-difference time-domain method to calculate the absorption of cubic core-shell nanoparticles. Even stronger enhancement can be achieved with cubic C-Au core-shell structures due to the localized plasmonic resonances at the sharp edges of the Au shell. The solar absorption efficiency factor can exceed 1.5 in the spherical case and reach 2.3 in the cubic case with a shell thickness of 10 nm. Such broadband absorption enhancement is in great demand for solar thermal applications including steam generation.

  13. X-ray synthesis of nickel-gold composite nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Chong-Cook; Wang Changhai; Yang, Y.-C.; Hwu, Y.K.; Seol, Seung-Kwon; Kwon, Yong-Bum; Chen, C.-H.; Liou, Huey-Wen; Lin, H.-M.; Margaritondo, Giorgio; Je, Jung-Ho

    2006-01-01

    We developed a novel approach to prepare Ni-Au composite nanoparticles using synchrotron radiation X-rays. Ni-Au particles dispersed in aqueous solutions were synthesized with two different irradiation strategies. The first is by exposing to X-rays a mixed electroless solution of Ni and Au at two different temperatures, trying to nucleate Ni nanoparticles homogeneously at room temperature and to deposit Au subsequently on them at the high temperature of 70 deg. C. The second strategy is to change the pH value of the mixed solution, directly leading to the formation of Ni-Au nanoparticles. In both cases, the Ni-Au composite nanoparticles were successfully formed, as confirmed by the observed ferromagnetic behavior and by the evolution of the Au surface plasmon resonance band

  14. Optical and thermal investigation of GeO2–PbO thin films doped with Au and Ag nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carvalho, E.A.; Carmo, A.P.; Bell, M.J.V.; Anjos, V.; Kassab, L.R.P.; Silva, D.M. da

    2012-01-01

    The present work reports on the thermo-optical study of germanate thin films doped with Au and Ag nanoparticles. Transmission Electron Microscopy images, UV–visible absorption and Micro-Raman scattering evidenced the presence of nanoparticles and the formation of collective excitations, the so called surface plasmons. Moreover, the effects of the metallic nanoparticles in the thermal properties of the films were observed. The thermal lens technique was proposed to evaluate the Thermal Diffusivity (D) of the samples. It furnishes superficial spatial resolution of about 100 μm, so it is appropriate to study inhomogeneous samples. It is shown that D may change up to a factor 3 over the surface of a film because of the differences in the nanoparticles concentration distribution.

  15. Porous silicon photoluminescence modification by colloidal gold nanoparticles: Plasmonic, surface and porosity roles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mora, M.B. de la; Bornacelli, J.; Nava, R.; Zanella, R.; Reyes-Esqueda, J.A.

    2014-01-01

    Metal nanoparticles on semiconductors are of interest because of the tunable effect of the surface plasmon resonance on the physical properties of the semiconductor. In this work, colloidal gold nanoparticles obtained by two different methods, with an average size of 6.1±2.0 nm and 5.0±2.0 nm, were added to luminescent porous silicon by drop casting. The gold nanoparticles interact with porous silicon by modifying its optical properties such as photoluminescence. That being said, plasmon effects are not the only to be taken into account; as shown in this work, surface chemical modification and porosity also play a key role in the final performance of photoluminescence of a porous silicon–gold nanoparticle hybrid system. -- Highlights: • A hybrid material consisting of porous silicon and gold nanoparticles was fabricated. • Porous silicon/gold nanoparticle hybrid material was made by drop casting. • Influence of plasmonics, surface chemical modification and porosity on the optical behavior of our material was analyzed. • Porosity is proposed as a parameter control to obtain the best effects on luminescence of the hybrid plasmonic material

  16. Porous silicon photoluminescence modification by colloidal gold nanoparticles: Plasmonic, surface and porosity roles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mora, M.B. de la; Bornacelli, J. [Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F. 04510 (Mexico); Nava, R. [Centro de Investigación en Energía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos 62580 (Mexico); Zanella, R. [Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F. 04510 (Mexico); Reyes-Esqueda, J.A., E-mail: betarina@gmail.com [Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F. 04510 (Mexico)

    2014-02-15

    Metal nanoparticles on semiconductors are of interest because of the tunable effect of the surface plasmon resonance on the physical properties of the semiconductor. In this work, colloidal gold nanoparticles obtained by two different methods, with an average size of 6.1±2.0 nm and 5.0±2.0 nm, were added to luminescent porous silicon by drop casting. The gold nanoparticles interact with porous silicon by modifying its optical properties such as photoluminescence. That being said, plasmon effects are not the only to be taken into account; as shown in this work, surface chemical modification and porosity also play a key role in the final performance of photoluminescence of a porous silicon–gold nanoparticle hybrid system. -- Highlights: • A hybrid material consisting of porous silicon and gold nanoparticles was fabricated. • Porous silicon/gold nanoparticle hybrid material was made by drop casting. • Influence of plasmonics, surface chemical modification and porosity on the optical behavior of our material was analyzed. • Porosity is proposed as a parameter control to obtain the best effects on luminescence of the hybrid plasmonic material.

  17. Electronic and magnetic properties of MnAu nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Masrour, R., E-mail: rachidmasrour@hotmail.com [Laboratory of Materials, Processes, Environment and Quality, Cady Ayyed University, National School of Applied Sciences, Safi 46000 (Morocco); LMPHE (URAC 12), Faculty of Science, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat (Morocco); Hlil, E.K. [Institut Néel, CNRS et Université Joseph Fourier, BP 166, F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Hamedoun, M. [Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Benyoussef, A. [LMPHE (URAC 12), Faculty of Science, Mohammed V-Agdal University, Rabat (Morocco); Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco); Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology, Rabat (Morocco); Mounkachi, O; El moussaoui, H. [Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, MAScIR, Rabat (Morocco)

    2014-03-15

    Self-consistent ab initio calculations, based on DFT (Density Functional Theory) approach and using FLAPW (Full potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave) method, are performed to investigate both electronic and magnetic properties of the MnAu nanoparticles. Polarized spin is included in calculations within the framework of the antiferromagnetic. The Mn magnetic moments where considered to be along c axes. Obtained data from ab initio calculations are used as input for the high temperature series expansions (HTSEs) calculations to compute other magnetic parameters. The zero-field high temperature static susceptibility series of the magnetic moment (m) and nearest-neighbour Heisenberg and XY models on a MnAu nanoparticles is thoroughly analyzed by means of a power series coherent anomaly method (CAM) for different nanoparticles. The exchanges interactions between the magnetic atoms are obtained for MnAu nanoparticles. - Highlights: • The electronic properties of the MnAu nanoparticles are studied using the DFT and FLAPW. • Magnetic moment is computed. • The ab initio calculations are used as input for HTSEs to compute other magnetic parameters. • The exchanges interactions and blocking temperature are obtained for MnAu nanoparticles.

  18. Electronic and magnetic properties of MnAu nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Masrour, R.; Hlil, E.K.; Hamedoun, M.; Benyoussef, A.; Mounkachi, O; El moussaoui, H.

    2014-01-01

    Self-consistent ab initio calculations, based on DFT (Density Functional Theory) approach and using FLAPW (Full potential Linear Augmented Plane Wave) method, are performed to investigate both electronic and magnetic properties of the MnAu nanoparticles. Polarized spin is included in calculations within the framework of the antiferromagnetic. The Mn magnetic moments where considered to be along c axes. Obtained data from ab initio calculations are used as input for the high temperature series expansions (HTSEs) calculations to compute other magnetic parameters. The zero-field high temperature static susceptibility series of the magnetic moment (m) and nearest-neighbour Heisenberg and XY models on a MnAu nanoparticles is thoroughly analyzed by means of a power series coherent anomaly method (CAM) for different nanoparticles. The exchanges interactions between the magnetic atoms are obtained for MnAu nanoparticles. - Highlights: • The electronic properties of the MnAu nanoparticles are studied using the DFT and FLAPW. • Magnetic moment is computed. • The ab initio calculations are used as input for HTSEs to compute other magnetic parameters. • The exchanges interactions and blocking temperature are obtained for MnAu nanoparticles

  19. Plasmonic reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy of metal nanoparticles on a semiconductor surface

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kosobukin, V. A.; Korotchenkov, A. V.

    2016-12-01

    A theory of plasmonic differential anisotropic reflection of light from nanoparticles located near the interface between media is developed. The model of a monolayer consisting of identical ellipsoidal metal particles occupying sites of a rectangular lattice is investigated. Effective plasmonic polarizabilities of nanoparticles in the layer are calculated self-consistently using the Green's function technique in the quasipoint dipole approximation. The local-field effect caused by anisotropic dipole plasmons of particles in the layer and their image dipoles is taken into account. The lately observed resonant reflectance anisotropy spectra of indium nanoclusters on InAs surface are explained by the difference between frequencies of plasmons with the orthogonal polarizations in the surface plane. The difference between the plasmon frequencies is attributed to anisotropy of the particles shape or/and the layer structure; the signs of frequency difference for the two types of anisotropy being different.

  20. One-dimensional self-assembly of gold nanoparticles for tunable surface plasmon resonance properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Yong; Matsubara, Shigemasha; Nogami, Masayuki; Shi Jianlin; Huang Weiming

    2006-01-01

    The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is a collective oscillation of the nanoparticle conduction electrons. LSPR excitation in silver and gold nanoparticles produces strong extinction and scattering spectra that in recent years have been used for important sensing and spectroscopy applications. Tuning the optoelectronic properties by controlling coupled SP modes in metals is one of the major challenges in the area of metal nanomaterials. Here we develop a simple method to fabricate linear-chainlike aggregates of gold nanoparticles (so-called nanochains), tuning the linear optical properties in a wide wavelength range from visible to the near infrared. The aggregation behaviour and linear self-assembly mechanism of citrate-stabilized gold colloids as provoked by the addition of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) are also analysed. The CTAB with appropriate concentration serves as the 'glue' that can link the {100} facets of two neighbour Au NPs, which leads to an anisotropic distribution of the residual surface charge, and this extrinsic electric dipole formation is responsible for the linear organization of the gold NPs into short chains

  1. Retardation effects on the dispersion and propagation of plasmons in metallic nanoparticle chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downing, Charles A.; Mariani, Eros; Weick, Guillaume

    2018-01-01

    We consider a chain of regularly-spaced spherical metallic nanoparticles, where each particle supports three degenerate localized surface plasmons. Due to the dipolar interaction between the nanoparticles, the localized plasmons couple to form extended collective modes. Using an open quantum system approach in which the collective plasmons are interacting with vacuum electromagnetic modes and which, importantly, readily incorporates retardation via the light-matter coupling, we analytically evaluate the resulting radiative frequency shifts of the plasmonic bandstructure. For subwavelength-sized nanoparticles, our analytical treatment provides an excellent quantitative agreement with the results stemming from laborious numerical calculations based on fully-retarded solutions to Maxwell’s equations. Indeed, the explicit expressions for the plasmonic spectrum which we provide showcase how including retardation gives rise to a logarithmic singularity in the bandstructure of transverse-polarized plasmons. We further study the impact of retardation effects on the propagation of plasmonic excitations along the chain. While for the longitudinal modes, retardation has a negligible effect, we find that the retarded dipolar interaction can significantly modify the plasmon propagation in the case of transverse-polarized modes. Moreover, our results elucidate the analogy between radiative effects in nanoplasmonic systems and the cooperative Lamb shift in atomic physics.

  2. UV and visible light photocatalytic activity of Au/TiO2 nanoforests with Anatase/Rutile phase junctions and controlled Au locations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yang; Wen, Wei; Qian, Xin-Yue; Liu, Jia-Bin; Wu, Jin-Ming

    2017-01-24

    To magnify anatase/rutile phase junction effects through appropriate Au decorations, a facile solution-based approach was developed to synthesize Au/TiO 2 nanoforests with controlled Au locations. The nanoforests cons®isted of anatase nanowires surrounded by radially grown rutile branches, on which Au nanoparticles were deposited with preferred locations controlled by simply altering the order of the fabrication step. The Au-decoration increased the photocatalytic activity under the illumination of either UV or visible light, because of the beneficial effects of either electron trapping or localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Gold nanoparticles located preferably at the interface of anatase/rutile led to a further enhanced photocatalytic activity. The appropriate distributions of Au nanoparticles magnify the beneficial effects arising from the anatase/rutile phase junctions when illuminated by UV light. Under the visible light illumination, the LSPR effect followed by the consecutive electron transfer explains the enhanced photocatalysis. This study provides a facile route to control locations of gold nanoparticles in one-dimensional nanostructured arrays of multiple-phases semiconductors for achieving a further increased photocatalytic activity.

  3. Synthesis of Ag and Au nanoparticles embedded in carbon film: Optical, crystalline and topography analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gholamali, Hediyeh; Shafiekhani, Azizollah; Darabi, Elham; Elahi, Seyed Mohammad

    2018-03-01

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images give valuable information about surface roughness of thin films based on the results of power spectral density (PSD) through the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithms. In the present work, AFM data are studied for silver and gold nanoparticles (Ag NPs a-C: H and Au NPs a-C: H) embedded in amorphous hydrogenated carbon films and co-deposited on glass substrate via of RF-Sputtering and RF-Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition methods. Here, the working gas is acetylene and the targets are Ag and Au. While time and power are constant, the only variable parameter in this study is initial pressure. In addition, the crystalline structure of Ag NPs a-C: H and Au NPs a-C: H are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD). UV-visible spectrophotometry will also investigate optical properties and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of samples.

  4. Application of Direct Current Atmospheric Pressure Glow Microdischarge Generated in Contact with a Flowing Liquid Solution for Synthesis of Au-Ag Core-Shell Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzimitrowicz, Anna; Jamroz, Piotr; Nyk, Marcin; Pohl, Pawel

    2016-04-06

    A direct current atmospheric pressure glow microdischarge (dc-μAPGD) generated between an Ar nozzle microjet and a flowing liquid was applied to produce Au-Ag core-shell nanoparticles (Au@AgCSNPs) in a continuous flow system. Firstly, operating dc-μAPGD with the flowing solution of the Au(III) ions as the cathode, the Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) core was produced. Next, to produce the core-shell nanostructures, the collected AuNPs solution was immediately mixed with an AgNO₃ solution and passed through the system with the reversed polarity to fabricate the Ag nanoshell on the AuNPs core. The formation of Au@AgCSNPs was confirmed using ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorbance spectrophotometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Three localized surface plasmon resonance absorption bands with wavelengths centered at 372, 546, and 675 nm were observed in the UV-Vis spectrum of Au@AgCSNPs, confirming the reduction of both the Au(III) and Ag(I) ions. The right configuration of metals in Au@AgCSNPs was evidenced by TEM. The Au core diameter was 10.2 ± 2.0 nm, while the thickness of the Ag nanoshell was 5.8 ± 1.8 nm. The elemental composition of the bimetallic nanoparticles was also confirmed by EDS. It is possible to obtain 90 mL of a solution containing Au@AgCSNPs per hour using the applied microdischarge system.

  5. Highly sensitive colorimetric detection of glucose in a serum based on DNA-embeded Au@Ag core–shell nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Fei; Xu, Kun; Hou, Xiangshu

    2015-01-01

    Glucose is a key energy substance in diverse biology and closely related to the life activities of the organism. To develop a simple and sensitive method for glucose detection is extremely urgent but still remains a key challenge. Herein, we report a colorimetric glucose sensor in a homogeneous system based on DNA-embedded core–shell Au@Ag nanoparticles. In this assay, a glucose substrate was first catalytically oxidized by glucose oxidase to produce H 2 O 2 which would further oxidize and gradually etch the outer silver shell of Au@Ag nanoparticles. Afterwards, the solution color changed from yellow to red and the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band of Au@Ag nanoparticles declined and red-shifted from 430 to 516 nm. Compared with previous silver-based glucose colorimetric detection strategies, the distinctive SPR band change is superior to the color variation, which is critical to the high sensitivity of this assay. Benefiting from the outstanding optical property, robust stability and well-dispersion of the core–shell Au@AgNPs hybrid, this colorimetric assay obtained a detection limit of glucose as low as 10 nM, which is at least a 10-fold improvement over other AgNPs-based procedures. Moreover, this optical biosensor was successfully employed to the determination of glucose in fetal bovine serum. (paper)

  6. Synthesis by picosecond laser ablation of ligand-free Ag and Au nanoparticles for SERS applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fazio, Enza; Spadaro, Salvatore; Santoro, Marco; Trusso, Sebastiano; Lucotti, Andrea.; Tommasini, Matteo.; Neri, Fortunato; Maria Ossi, Paolo

    2018-01-01

    The morphological and optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles prepared by picosecond laser generated plasmas in water were investigated. First, the ablation efficiency was maximized searching the optimal focusing conditions. The nanoparticle size, measured by Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy, strongly depends on the laser fluence, keeping fixed the other deposition parameters such as the target to scanner objective distance and laser repetition frequency. STEM images indicate narrow gradients of NP sizes. Hence the optimization of ablation parameters favours a fine tuning of nanoparticles. UV-Visible spectroscopy helped to determine the appropriate laser wavelength to resonantly excite the localized surface plasmon to carry out Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) measurements. The SERS activity of Ag and Au substrates, obtained spraying the colloids synthesized in water, was tested using crystal violet as a probe molecule. The good SERS performance, observed at excitation wavelength 785 nm, is attributed to aggregation phenomena of nanoparticles sprayed on the support.

  7. Concentration Dependence of Gold Nanoparticles for Fluorescence Enhancement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomon, Joel; Wittmershaus, Bruce

    Noble metal nanoparticles possess a unique property known as surface plasmon resonance in which the conduction electrons oscillate due to incoming light, dramatically increasing their absorption and scattering of light. The oscillating electrons create a varying electric field that can affect nearby molecules. The fluorescence and photostability of fluorophores can be enhanced significantly when they are near plasmonic nanoparticles. This effect is called metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF). MEF from two fluorescence organic dyes, Lucifer Yellow CH and Riboflavin, was measured with different concentrations of 50-nm colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au-NP). The concentration range of Au-NP was varied from 2.5 to 250 pM. To maximize the interaction, the dyes were chosen so their emission spectra had considerable overlap with the absorption spectra of the Au-NP, which is common in MEF studies. If the dye molecules are too close to the surface of Au-NP, fluorescence quenching can occur instead of MEF. To try to observe this difference, silica-coated Au-NP were compared to citrate-based Au-NP; however, fluorescence quenching was observed with both Au-NP. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number NSF-ECCS-1306157.

  8. Near-field Spectroscopy of Surface Plasmons in Flat Gold Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achermann, Marc; Shuford, Kevin L.; Schatz, George C.; Dahanayaka, D.H.; Bumm, Lloyd A; Klimov, Victor I.

    2007-01-01

    We use near-field interference spectroscopy with a broadband femtosecond, white-light probe to study local surface plasmon resonances in flat gold nanoparticles (FGNPs). Depending on nanoparticle dimensions, local near-field extinction spectra exhibit none, one, or two resonances in the range of visible wavelengths (1.6-2.6 eV). The measured spectra can be accurately described in terms of interference between the field emitted by the probe aperture and the field reradiated by driven FGNP surface plasmon oscillations. The measured resonances are in good agreement with those predicted by calculations using discrete dipole approximation. We observe that the amplitudes of these resonances are dependent upon the spatial position of the near-field probe, which indicates the possibility of spatially selective excitation of specific plasmon modes

  9. Laser generated gold nanocorals with broadband plasmon absorption for photothermal applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poletti, Annamaria; Fracasso, Giulio; Conti, Giamaica; Pilot, Roberto; Amendola, Vincenzo

    2015-08-01

    Gold nanoparticles with efficient plasmon absorption in the visible and near infrared (NIR) regions, biocompatibility and easy surface functionalization are of interest for photothermal applications. Herein we describe the synthesis and photothermal properties of gold ``nanocorals'' (AuNC) obtained by laser irradiation of Au nanospheres (AuNS) dispersed in liquid solution. AuNC are formed in two stages: by photofragmentation of AuNS, followed by spontaneous unidirectional assembly of gold nanocrystals. The whole procedure is performed without chemicals or templating compounds, hence the AuNC can be coated with thiolated molecules in one step. We show that AuNC coated with thiolated polymers are easily dispersed in an aqueous environment or in organic solvents and can be included in polymeric matrixes to yield a plasmonic nanocomposite. AuNC dispersions exhibit flat broadband plasmon absorption ranging from the visible to the NIR and unitary light-to-heat conversion. Besides, in vitro biocompatibility experiments assessed the absence of cytotoxic effects even at a dose as high as 100 μg mL-1. These safe-by-designed AuNC are promising for use in various applications such as photothermal cancer therapy, light-triggered drug release, antimicrobial substrates, optical tomography, obscurant materials and optical coatings.

  10. In Situ Detection of Trace Furfural in Aqueous Solution Based on Au Nanoparticle/Au Film Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Qi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Furfural is an important chemical solvent and intermediate. Sensitive detection of this compound has attracted great interest in various fields. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS is a highly sensitive method for material detection because of its optical enhancement effect of plasmonic nanostructures. This study presents a simple and versatile method to synthesize a SERS substrate, where polyaminothiophenol (PATP was used to realize the stable combination of Au nanoparticles (AuNPs and Au film via self-assembly. The near-field electric field distribution was calculated using the finite difference time domain (FDTD simulation to determine the parameters responsible for electric field enhancement. The simulation results show that SERS enhanced factors are sensitive to interparticle spacing and materials for solid support but insensitive to particle size. Moreover, the experimental results show that the optimized substrates with the highest Raman activity were formed by six layers of 60 nm AuNPs decorated on a 30 nm thick Au film, thereby validating the simulation results. The SERS factor of the optimal substrates is approximately 5.57 × 103, and the in situ detection limit is 4.8 ppm. The 3D Raman spectra, relative standard deviation values for major peaks, and changes in signal intensity with time show the good reproducibility and stability of the substrates.

  11. Modeling molecular effects on plasmon transport: Silver nanoparticles with tartrazine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arntsen, Christopher; Lopata, Kenneth; Wall, Michael R.; Bartell, Lizette; Neuhauser, Daniel

    2011-02-01

    Modulation of plasmon transport between silver nanoparticles by a yellow fluorophore, tartrazine, is studied theoretically. The system is studied by combining a finite-difference time-domain Maxwell treatment of the electric field and the plasmons with a time-dependent parameterized method number 3 simulation of the tartrazine, resulting in an effective Maxwell/Schrödinger (i.e., classical/quantum) method. The modeled system has three linearly arranged small silver nanoparticles with a radius of 2 nm and a center-to-center separation of 4 nm; the molecule is centered between the second and third nanoparticles. We initiate an x-polarized current on the first nanoparticle and monitor the transmission through the system. The molecule rotates much of the x-polarized current into the y-direction and greatly reduces the overall transmission of x-polarized current.

  12. Angular plasmon response of gold nanoparticles arrays: approaching the Rayleigh limit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marae-Djouda Joseph

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The regular arrangement of metal nanoparticles influences their plasmonic behavior. It has been previously demonstrated that the coupling between diffracted waves and plasmon modes can give rise to extremely narrow plasmon resonances. This is the case when the single-particle localized surface plasmon resonance (λLSP is very close in value to the Rayleigh anomaly wavelength (λRA of the nanoparticles array. In this paper, we performed angle-resolved extinction measurements on a 2D array of gold nano-cylinders designed to fulfil the condition λRA<λLSP. Varying the angle of excitation offers a unique possibility to finely modify the value of λRA, thus gradually approaching the condition of coupling between diffracted waves and plasmon modes. The experimental observation of a collective dipolar resonance has been interpreted by exploiting a simplified model based on the coupling of evanescent diffracted waves with plasmon modes. Among other plasmon modes, the measurement technique has also evidenced and allowed the study of a vertical plasmon mode, only visible in TM polarization at off-normal excitation incidence. The results of numerical simulations, based on the periodic Green’s tensor formalism, match well with the experimental transmission spectra and show fine details that could go unnoticed by considering only experimental data.

  13. Synthesis of Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes containing varying shaped cores and their localized surface plasmon resonances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Jianxiao; Zhou, Fei; Li, Zhiyuan; Tang, Zhiyong

    2012-06-19

    We have synthesized Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes containing Au cores with varying shapes and sizes through modified seed-mediated methods. Bromide ions are found to be crucial in the epitaxial growth of Ag atoms onto Au cores and in the formation of the shell's cubic shape. The Au@Ag core-shell nanocubes exhibit very abundant and distinct localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties, which are core-shape and size-dependent. With the help of theoretical calculation, the physical origin and the resonance mode profile of each LSPR peak are identified and studied. The core-shell nanocrystals with varying shaped cores offer a new rich category for LSPR control through the plasmonic coupling effect between core and shell materials.

  14. Enzyme-guided plasmonic biosensor based on dual-functional nanohybrid for sensitive detection of thrombin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Jing; Wang, Lida; Tang, Longhua; Lin, Lei; Liu, Yang; Li, Jinghong

    2015-08-15

    Rapid and sensitive methodologies for the detection of protein are in urgent requirement for clinic diagnostics. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of metal nanostructures has the potential to circumvent this problem due to its sensitive optical properties and strong electromagnetic near-field enhancements. In this work, an enzyme mediated plasmonic biosensor on the basis of a dual-functional nanohybrid was developed for the detection of thrombin. By utilizing LSPR-responsive nanohybrid and anaptamer-enzyme conjugated reporting probe, the sensing platform brings enhanced signal, stability as well as simplicity. Enzymatic reaction catalyzed the reduction of Au(3+) to Au° in situ, further leading to the rapid crystal growth of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The LSPR absorbance band and color changed company with the nanoparticle generation, which can be real-time monitoring by UV-visible spectrophotometer and naked eye. Nanohybrid constructed by gold and magnetic nanoparticles acts as a dual functional plasmonic unit, which not only plays the role of signal production, but also endows the sensor with the function of magnetic separation. Simultaneously, the introduction of enzyme effectively regulates the programming crystal growth of AuNPs. In addition, enzyme also serves as signal amplifier owing to its high catalysis efficiency. The response of the plasmonic sensor varies linearly with the logarithmic thrombin concentration up to 10nM with a limit of detection of 200 pM. The as-proposed strategy shows good analytical performance for thrombin determination. This simple, disposable method is promising in developing universal platforms for protein monitoring, drug discovery and point-of-care diagnostics. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Multimodal Magnetic-Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shelley Stafford

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Magnetic plasmonic nanomaterials are of great interest in the field of biomedicine due to their vast number of potential applications, for example, in molecular imaging, photothermal therapy, magnetic hyperthermia and as drug delivery vehicles. The multimodal nature of these nanoparticles means that they are potentially ideal theranostic agents—i.e., they can be used both as therapeutic and diagnostic tools. This review details progress in the field of magnetic-plasmonic nanomaterials over the past ten years, focusing on significant developments that have been made and outlining the future work that still needs to be done in this fast emerging area. The review describes the main synthetic approaches to each type of magnetic plasmonic nanomaterial and the potential biomedical applications of these hybrid nanomaterials.

  16. Correlated structure-optical properties studies of plasmonic nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ringe, Emilie; Duyne, Richard P Van; Marks, Laurence D

    2014-01-01

    Interest in nanotechnology is driven by unprecedented means to tailor the physical behaviour via structure and composition. Unlike bulk materials, minute changes in size and shape can affect the optical properties of nanoparticles. Characterization, understanding, and prediction of such structure-function relationships is crucial to the development of novel applications such as plasmonic sensors, devices, and drug delivery systems. Such knowledge has been recently vastly expanded through systematic, high throughput correlated measurements, where the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is probed optically and the particle shape investigated with electron microscopy. This paper will address some of the recent experimental advances in single particle studies that provide new insight not only on the effects of size, composition, and shape on plasmonic properties but also their interrelation. Plasmon resonance frequency and decay, substrate effects, size, shape, and composition will be explored for a variety of plasmonic systems

  17. Plasmon enhanced power conversion efficiency in inverted bulk heterojunction organic solar cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohan, Minu; Ramkumar, S.; Namboothiry, Manoj A. G.

    2017-08-01

    P3HT:PCBM is one of the most studied polymer-fullerene system. However the reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) values falls within the range of 4% to 5%. The thin film architecture in OPVs exhibits low PCE compared to inorganic photovoltaic cells. This is mainly due to the low exciton diffusion length that limits the active layer thickness which in turn reduces the absorption of incident light. Several strategies are adapted in order to increase the absorption in the active layer without increasing the film thickness. Inclusion of metal nanoparticles into the polymer layer of bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells is one of the promising methods. Incorporation of metal nanostructures increases the absorption of organic materials due to the high electromagnetic field strength in the vicinity of the excited surface plasmons. In this work, we used 60 nm Au plasmonic structures to improve the efficiency of organic solar cell. The prepared metal nano structures were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Visible spectroscopy techniques. These prepared metallic nanoparticles can be incorporated either into the electron transport layer (ETL) or into the active P3HT:PC71BM layer. The effect of incorporation of plasmonic gold (Au) nanoparticle in the inverted bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaic cells (OPVs) of P3HT:PC71BM fabricated in ambient air condition is in progress. Initial studies shows an 8.5% enhancement in the PCE with the incorporation of Au nanoparticles under AM1.5G light of intensity 1 Sun.

  18. Au279(SR)84: The Smallest Gold Thiolate Nanocrystal That Is Metallic and the Birth of Plasmon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakthivel, Naga Arjun; Stener, Mauro; Sementa, Luca; Fortunelli, Alessandro; Ramakrishna, Guda; Dass, Amala

    2018-03-15

    We report a detailed study on the optical properties of Au 279 (SR) 84 using steady-state and transient absorption measurements to probe its metallic nature, time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) studies to correlate the optical spectra, and density of states (DOS) to reveal the factors governing the origin of the collective surface plasmon resonance (SPR) oscillation. Au 279 is the smallest identified gold nanocrystal to exhibit SPR. Its optical absorption exhibits SPR at 510 nm. Power-dependent bleach recovery kinetics of Au 279 suggests that electron dynamics dominates its relaxation and it can support plasmon oscillations. Interestingly, TDDFT and DOS studies with different tail group residues (-CH 3 and -Ph) revealed the important role played by the tail groups of ligands in collective oscillation. Also, steady-state and time-resolved absorption for Au 36 , Au 44 , and Au 133 were studied to reveal the molecule-to-metal evolution of aromatic AuNMs. The optical gap and transient decay lifetimes decrease as the size increases.

  19. Spin Polarization and Quantum Spins in Au Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Hsien Li

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available The present study focuses on investigating the magnetic properties and the critical particle size for developing sizable spontaneous magnetic moment of bare Au nanoparticles. Seven sets of bare Au nanoparticle assemblies, with diameters from 3.5 to 17.5 nm, were fabricated with the gas condensation method. Line profiles of the X-ray diffraction peaks were used to determine the mean particle diameters and size distributions of the nanoparticle assemblies. The magnetization curves M(Ha reveal Langevin field profiles. Magnetic hysteresis was clearly revealed in the low field regime even at 300 K. Contributions to the magnetization from different size particles in the nanoparticle assemblies were considered when analyzing the M(Ha curves. The results show that the maximum particle moment will appear in 2.4 nm Au particles. A similar result of the maximum saturation magnetization appearing in 2.3 nm Au particles is also concluded through analysis of the dependency of the saturation magnetization MP on particle size. The MP(d curve departs significantly from the 1/d dependence, but can be described by a log-normal function. Magnetization can be barely detected for Au particles larger than 27 nm. Magnetic field induced Zeeman magnetization from the quantum confined Kubo gap opening appears in Au nanoparticles smaller than 9.5 nm in diameter.

  20. Smart Plasmonic Glucose Nanosensors as Generic Theranostic Agents for Targeting-Free Cancer Cell Screening and Killing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Limei; Li, Haijuan; He, Haili; Wu, Haoxi; Jin, Yongdong

    2015-07-07

    Fast and accurate identification of cancer cells from healthy normal cells in a simple, generic way is very crucial for early cancer detection and treatment. Although functional nanoparticles, like fluorescent quantum dots and plasmonic Au nanoparticles (NPs), have been successfully applied for cancer cell imaging and photothermal therapy, they suffer from the main drawback of needing time-consuming targeting preparation for specific cancer cell detection and selective ablation. The lack of a generic and effective method therefore limits their potential high-throughput cancer cell preliminary screening and theranostic applications. We report herein a generic in vitro method for fast, targeting-free (avoiding time-consuming preparations of targeting moiety for specific cancer cells) visual screening and selective killing of cancer cells from normal cells, by using glucose-responsive/-sensitive glucose oxidase-modified Ag/Au nanoshells (Ag/Au-GOx NSs) as a smart plasmonic theranostic agent. The method is generic to some extent since it is based on the distinct localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) responses (and colors) of the smart nanoprobe with cancer cells (typically have a higher glucose uptake level) and normal cells.

  1. Hybrid dielectric waveguide spectroscopy of individual plasmonic nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Cuadra

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Plasmonics is a mature scientific discipline which is now entering the realm of practical applications. Recently, significant attention has been devoted to on-chip hybrid devices where plasmonic nanoantennas are integrated in standard Si3N4 photonic waveguides. Light in these systems is usually coupled at the waveguide apexes by using multiple objectives and/or tapered optical fibers, rendering the analysis of spectroscopic signals a complicated task. Here, we show how by using a grating coupler and a low NA objective, quantitative spectroscopic information similar to standard dark-field spectroscopy can be obtained at the single-nanoparticle level. This technology may be useful for enabling single-nanoparticle studies in non-linear excitation regimes and/or in complex experimental environments, thus enriching the toolbox of nanophotonic methods.

  2. Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(Amidoamine Dendrimers Encapsulatd 198Au Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Ritawidya1,2

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Brachytherapy or internal radiotherapy is one of many methods used for treatment of cancer. This modality requires an agent with radionuclides that emits  or β particle with a proper energy. 198Au (99% β max = 0.96 MeV and t1/2 = 2.69 days is one of radionuclides that has been considered to be effective for the above-mentioned purpose. The purpose of this research was to synthesis and characterize poly(amidoamine (PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated 198Au nanoparticles as a new brachytherapy agent. PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated 198Au nanoparticles was successfully synthesized by a bottom-up method using sodium borohydride as a reductor. Purification was then performed by a size exclusion chromatography in order to separate large Au nanoparticles that were formed outside the cavity of PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers. Prior to the synthesis of PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated 198Au nanoparticles, the synthetic procedure was first established by using a non-radioactive Au. The PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated Au nanoparticles produced was then characterized by using an UV-Vis spectroscopy, a transmission electron microscopy (TEM, particle size analyzer (PSA, and an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS. Characterization results revealed that PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated Au nanoparticles that were prepared from a reaction mixture of PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers and Au HAuCl4 with mol ratio of 2.8, was found to be a proper formula. It produced PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated Au nanoparticles with diameter of 1.743 nm, spheris, uniform and drug loading value of 26.34%. This formula was then used in synthesis using radioactive Au, 198Au. Characterization results of PAMAM G3.0 dendrimers encapsulated 198Au nanoparticles gave a radiochemical purity of 99.4% and zero charge.

  3. Tuning the shell thickness-dependent plasmonic absorption of Ag coated Au nanocubes: The effect of synthesis temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Jian, E-mail: jianzhusummer@163.com; Zhang, Fan; Chen, Bei-Bei; Li, Jian-Jun; Zhao, Jun-Wu, E-mail: nanoptzhao@163.com

    2015-09-15

    Graphical abstract: Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorbance of Au nanocubes, and the Ag coating-dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Highlights: • Au nanocubes with more uniform shape can be obtained at lower growth temperature. • Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorption intensity. • The Ag coating dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Abstract: The temperature dependent synthesis and plasmonic optical properties of Ag coated Au nanocubes have been investigated experimentally. It has been found that the Au nanocubes with more uniform morphology and higher yield could be obtained by decreasing the growth temperature. Because of the non-spherical symmetry of the particles shape and the plasmon coupling between Au–Ag interface and outer Ag surface, four absorption peaks at most have been observed. As the Ag coating thickness is increased, the absorbance intensity of these plasmon peaks gets intense greatly, and the absorption peak at longest wavelength blue shifts firstly and then red shifts. The non-monotonous plasmonic shift has been attributed to the competition between the increase of Ag composition and the enlargement of the particle size. What's more, the wavelength region of both blue shift and red shift could also be enhanced by decreasing the temperature.

  4. Tuning the shell thickness-dependent plasmonic absorption of Ag coated Au nanocubes: The effect of synthesis temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Jian; Zhang, Fan; Chen, Bei-Bei; Li, Jian-Jun; Zhao, Jun-Wu

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorbance of Au nanocubes, and the Ag coating-dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Highlights: • Au nanocubes with more uniform shape can be obtained at lower growth temperature. • Ag coating leads to great enhancement of SPR absorption intensity. • The Ag coating dependent non-monotonous SPR shift is greater at lower temperature. - Abstract: The temperature dependent synthesis and plasmonic optical properties of Ag coated Au nanocubes have been investigated experimentally. It has been found that the Au nanocubes with more uniform morphology and higher yield could be obtained by decreasing the growth temperature. Because of the non-spherical symmetry of the particles shape and the plasmon coupling between Au–Ag interface and outer Ag surface, four absorption peaks at most have been observed. As the Ag coating thickness is increased, the absorbance intensity of these plasmon peaks gets intense greatly, and the absorption peak at longest wavelength blue shifts firstly and then red shifts. The non-monotonous plasmonic shift has been attributed to the competition between the increase of Ag composition and the enlargement of the particle size. What's more, the wavelength region of both blue shift and red shift could also be enhanced by decreasing the temperature

  5. Au/SiO2 nanocomposite film substrates with a high number density of Au nanoparticles for molecular conductance measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dae-Gun; Koyama, Emiko; Kikkawa, Yoshihiro; Kirihara, Kazuhiro; Naitoh, Yasuhisa; Kim, Deok-Soo; Tokuhisa, Hideo; Kanesato, Masatoshi; Koshizaki, Naoto

    2007-01-01

    Au/SiO 2 nanocomposite films consisting of an extremely high number density of Au nanoparticles dispersed in a SiO 2 matrix a few nanometres thick were deposited by a co-sputtering method, and employed for molecular conductance measurement by immobilizing and bridging conjugated biphenyl molecules on dispersed Au nanoparticles. The number density of Au nanoparticles in the insulating SiO 2 matrix was approximately 14 000 μm 2 , and the average interparticle distance from their neighbours was about 8 nm. The current increased considerably up to the range of nanoamperes after the immobilization of the conjugated biphenyl molecules, 10 5 times larger than without molecules before immobilization. Although the Au nanoparticles can be connected to only 30% of all combinations of neighbouring Au nanoparticles by biphenyl molecules 2.4 nm long from the topological analysis, the biphenyl molecules can bridge most of the Au nanoparticles, and their bridging continuity is over 100 nm in length. Thus the measured current is suggested to come from the continuously bridged molecules between the Au nanoparticles. Furthermore the I-V data of the whole Au/SiO 2 nanocomposite film immobilized with conjugated molecules are confirmed to be in a reasonable range in comparison with the scanning tunnelling spectroscopy data of similar conjugated molecules

  6. Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol using gold nanoparticles biosynthesized by cell-free extracts of Aspergillus sp. WL-Au

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Wenli; Qu, Yuanyuan, E-mail: qyy@dlut.edu.cn; Pei, Xiaofang; Li, Shuzhen; You, Shengnan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhang, Zhaojing; Zhou, Jiti

    2017-01-05

    Highlights: • A green process for AuNPs synthesis was achieved by fungus Aspergillus. • Uniform spherical AuNPs with well dispersity and stability were biosynthesized. • The biogenic AuNPs possessed remarkable catalytic activities for 4-NP reduction. - Abstract: A facile one-pot eco-friendly process for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with high catalytic activity was achieved using cell-free extracts of Aspergillus sp. WL-Au as reducing, capping and stabilizing agents. The surface plasmon resonance band of UV–vis spectrum at 532 nm confirmed the presence of AuNPs. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that quite uniform spherical AuNPs were synthesized and the average size of nanoparticles increased from 4 nm to 29 nm with reaction time. X-ray diffraction analysis verified the formation of nano-crystalline gold particles. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the presence of functional groups on the surface of biosynthesized AuNPs, such as O−H, N−H, C=O, C−H, C−OH and C−O−C groups, which increased the stability of AuNPs. The biogenic AuNPs could serve as a highly efficient catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction. The reaction rate constant was linearly correlated with the concentration of AuNPs, which increased from 0.59 min{sup −1} to 1.51 min{sup −1} with the amount of AuNPs increasing form 1.46 × 10{sup −6} to 17.47 × 10{sup −6} mmol. Moreover, the as-synthesized AuNPs exhibited a remarkable normalized catalytic activity (4.04 × 10{sup 5} min{sup −1} mol{sup −1}), which was much higher than that observed for AuNPs synthesized by other biological and conventional chemical methods.

  7. Catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol using gold nanoparticles biosynthesized by cell-free extracts of Aspergillus sp. WL-Au

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Wenli; Qu, Yuanyuan; Pei, Xiaofang; Li, Shuzhen; You, Shengnan; Wang, Jingwei; Zhang, Zhaojing; Zhou, Jiti

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • A green process for AuNPs synthesis was achieved by fungus Aspergillus. • Uniform spherical AuNPs with well dispersity and stability were biosynthesized. • The biogenic AuNPs possessed remarkable catalytic activities for 4-NP reduction. - Abstract: A facile one-pot eco-friendly process for synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with high catalytic activity was achieved using cell-free extracts of Aspergillus sp. WL-Au as reducing, capping and stabilizing agents. The surface plasmon resonance band of UV–vis spectrum at 532 nm confirmed the presence of AuNPs. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that quite uniform spherical AuNPs were synthesized and the average size of nanoparticles increased from 4 nm to 29 nm with reaction time. X-ray diffraction analysis verified the formation of nano-crystalline gold particles. Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the presence of functional groups on the surface of biosynthesized AuNPs, such as O−H, N−H, C=O, C−H, C−OH and C−O−C groups, which increased the stability of AuNPs. The biogenic AuNPs could serve as a highly efficient catalyst for 4-nitrophenol reduction. The reaction rate constant was linearly correlated with the concentration of AuNPs, which increased from 0.59 min −1 to 1.51 min −1 with the amount of AuNPs increasing form 1.46 × 10 −6 to 17.47 × 10 −6 mmol. Moreover, the as-synthesized AuNPs exhibited a remarkable normalized catalytic activity (4.04 × 10 5 min −1 mol −1 ), which was much higher than that observed for AuNPs synthesized by other biological and conventional chemical methods.

  8. Multipole plasmons and their disappearance in few-nanometre silver nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Raza, Søren; Kadkhodazadeh, Shima; Christensen, Thomas

    2015-01-01

    to play a role. Here, applying electron energy-loss spectroscopy to individual silver nanoparticles encapsulated in silicon nitride, we observe besides the usual dipole resonance an additional surface plasmon resonance corresponding to higher angular momenta for nanoparticle radii as small as 4 nm. We...

  9. Generation of reactive oxygen species and charge carriers in plasmonic photocatalytic Au@TiO2 nanostructures with enhanced activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Weiwei; Cai, Junhui; Jiang, Xiumei; Yin, Jun-Jie; Meng, Qingbo

    2018-06-13

    The combination of semiconductor and plasmonic nanostructures, endowed with high efficiency light harvesting and surface plasmon confinement, has been a promising way for efficient utilization of solar energy. Although the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assisted photocatalysis has been extensively studied, the photochemical mechanism, e.g. the effect of SPR on the generation of reactive oxygen species and charge carriers, is not well understood. In this study, we take Au@TiO2 nanostructures as a plasmonic photocatalyst to address this critical issue. The Au@TiO2 core/shell nanostructures with tunable SPR property were synthesized by the templating method with post annealing thermal treatment. It was found that Au@TiO2 nanostructures exhibit enhanced photocatalytic activity in either sunlight or visible light (λ > 420 nm). Electron spin resonance spectroscopy with spin trapping and spin labeling was used to investigate the enhancing effect of Au@TiO2 on the photo-induced reactive oxygen species and charge carriers. The formation of Au@TiO2 core/shell nanostructures resulted in a dramatic increase in light-induced generation of hydroxyl radicals, singlet oxygen, holes and electrons, as compared with TiO2 alone. This enhancement under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation may be dominated by SPR induced local electrical field enhancement, while the enhancement under sunlight irradiation is dominated by the higher electron transfer from TiO2 to Au. These results unveiled that the superior photocatalytic activity of Au@TiO2 nanostructures correlates with enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species and charge carriers.

  10. A Au/Cu2O-TiO2 system for photo-catalytic hydrogen production. A pn-junction effect or a simple case of in situ reduction?

    KAUST Repository

    Sinatra, Lutfan; LaGrow, Alec P.; Peng, Wei; Kirmani, Ahmad R.; Amassian, Aram; Idriss, Hicham; Bakr, Osman

    2015-01-01

    Photo-catalytic H2 production from water has been studied over Au-Cu2O nanoparticle deposited on TiO2 (anatase) in order to probe into both the plasmon resonance effect (Au nanoparticles) and the pn-junction at the Cu2O-TiO2 interface. The Au-Cu2O

  11. Synthesis of Au and Au/Cu alloy nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes by using microwave irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rangari, Vijaya K.; Dey, Sanchita; Jeelani, Shaik

    2010-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles and gold-copper alloy nanoparticles were synthesized by reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl_4.xH_2O) and co-reduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl_4.xH_2O) and Copper(II) acetate [(CH_3COO)_2Cu.H_2O] by ethylene glycol through microwave irradiation technique. In this reaction ethylene glycol used as a solvent and also reducing agent. The cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) used as surfactant. Au nanoparticles and Au-Cu nanoparticles on the surface of multiwalled carbon nanotube also produced by using same procedure. The XRD analysis confirmed the formation of Au and Au-Cu alloy nanoparticles on multiwalled carbon nanotubes(CNTs). The morphology and size of the particles were examined by the transmission electron microscopy. The EDS analysis on individual particles confirmed that the presence of two metals in a particle in case of alloy nanoparticle. The results presented here show that a variety of well defined metal and metal alloy nanoparticles can be produced by using the microwave polyol process with in a short period of time. (author)

  12. Prolonged reorganization of thiol-capped Au nanoparticles layered structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarathi Kundu

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Prolonged reorganization behaviour of mono-, di-, tri- and multi-layer films of Au nanoparticles prepared by Langmuir-Blodgett method on hydrophobic Si(001 substrates have been studied by using X-ray scattering techniques. Out-of-plane study shows that although at the initial stage the reorganization occurs through the compaction of the films keeping the layered structure unchanged but finally all layered structures modify to monolayer structure. Due to this reorganization the Au density increases within the nanometer thick films. In-plane study shows that inside the reorganized films Au nanoparticles are distributed randomly and the particle size modifies as the metallic core of Au nanoparticles coalesces.

  13. Gold Nanoparticles with Externally Controlled, Reversible Shifts of Local Surface Plasmon Resonance Bands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yavuz, Mustafa S.; Jensen, Gary C.; Penaloza, David P.; Seery, Thomas A. P.; Pendergraph, Samuel A.; Rusling, James F.; Sotzing, Gregory A.

    2010-01-01

    We have achieved reversible tunability of local surface plasmon resonance in conjugated polymer functionalized gold nanoparticles. This property was facilitated by the preparation of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) containing polynorbornene brushes on gold nanoparticles via surface-initiated ring-opening metathesis polymerization. Reversible tuning of the surface plasmon band was achieved by electrochemically switching the EDOT polymer between its reduced and oxidized states. PMID:19839619

  14. Localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles as colorimetric probes for determination of Isoniazid in pharmacological formulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zargar, Behrooz; Hatamie, Amir

    2013-04-01

    Isoniazid is an important antibiotic, which is widely used to treat tuberculosis. This study presents a colorimetric method for the determination of Isoniazid based on localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property of gold nanoparticles. An LSPR band is produced by reducing gold ions in solution using Isoniazid as the reducing agent. Influences of the following relevant variables were examined and optimized in the experiment, formation time of gold nanoparticles, pH, buffer and stabilizer. These tests demonstrated that under optimum conditions the absorbance of Au nanoparticles at 530 nm related linearly to the concentration of Isoniazid in the range of 1.0-8.0 μg mL-1 with a detection limit of 0.98 μg mL-1. This colorimetric method has been successfully applied to the determine Isoniazid in tablets and spiked serum samples. The proposed colorimetric assay exhibits good reproducibility and accuracy, providing a simple and rapid method for analysis of Isoniazid.

  15. Plasmonic Photovoltaic Cells with Dual-Functional Gold, Silver, and Copper Half-Shell Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ling; Kim, Gyu Min; Nishi, Hiroyasu; Tatsuma, Tetsu

    2017-09-12

    Solid-state photovoltaic cells based on plasmon-induced charge separation (PICS) have attracted growing attention during the past decade. However, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the previously reported devices, which are generally loaded with dispersed metal nanoparticles as light absorbers, has not been sufficiently high. Here we report simpler plasmonic photovoltaic cells with interconnected Au, Ag, and Cu half-shell arrays deposited on SiO 2 @TiO 2 colloidal crystals, which serve both as a plasmonic light absorber and as a current collector. The well-controlled and easily prepared plasmonic structure allows precise comparison of the PICS efficiency between different plasmonic metal species. The cell with the Ag half-shell array has higher photovoltaic performance than the cells with Au and Cu half-shell arrays because of the high population of photogenerated energetic electrons, which gives a high electron injection efficiency and suppressed charge recombination probability, achieving the highest PCE among the solid-state PICS devices even without a hole transport layer.

  16. Dual-color plasmonic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay based on enzyme-mediated etching of Au nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Longhua; Xu, Shaohua; Ma, Xiaoming; Qiu, Bin; Lin, Zhenyu; Chen, Guonan

    2016-09-01

    Colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay utilizing 3‧-3-5‧-5-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB) as the chromogenic substrate has been widely used in the hospital for the detection of all kinds of disease biomarkers. Herein, we demonstrate a strategy to change this single-color display into dual-color responses to improve the accuracy of visual inspection. Our investigation firstly reveals that oxidation state of 3‧-3-5‧-5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB2+) can quantitatively etch gold nanoparticles. Therefore, the incorporation of gold nanoparticles into a commercial TMB-based ELISA kit could generate dual-color responses: the solution color varied gradually from wine red (absorption peak located at ~530 nm) to colorless, and then from colorless to yellow (absorption peak located at ~450 nm) with the increase amount of targets. These dual-color responses effectively improved the sensitivity as well as the accuracy of visual inspection. For example, the proposed dual-color plasmonic ELISA is demonstrated for the detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in human serum with a visual limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.0093 ng/mL.

  17. Au nanorods-incorporated plasmonic-enhanced inverted organic solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Ling; Mei, Yang; Chen, Shu-Fen; Zhang, Yu-Pei; Hao, Jing-Yu; Deng, Ling-Ling; Huang, Wei

    2015-11-01

    The effect of Au nanorods (NRs) on optical-to-electric conversion efficiency is investigated in inverted polymer solar cells, in which Au NRs are sandwiched between two layers of ZnO. Accompanied by the optimization of thickness of ZnO covered on Au NRs, a high-power conversion efficiency of 3.60% and an enhanced short-circuit current density (JSC) of 10.87 mA/cm2 are achieved in the poly(3-hexylthiophene): [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PC60BM)-based inverted cell and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is enhanced by 19.6% compared with the control device. The detailed analyses of the light absorption characteristics, the simulated scattering induced by Au NRs, and the electromagnetic field around Au NRs show that the absorption improvement in the photoactive layer due to the light scattering from the longitudinal axis and the near-field increase around Au NRs induced by localized surface plasmon resonance plays a key role in enhancing the performances. Project supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 2012CB933301), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61274065, 51173081, 61136003, BZ2010043, 51372119, and 51172110), and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Provincial Higher Education Institutions and Synergetic Innovation Center for Organic Electronics and Information Displays, China.

  18. Probing surface plasmons in individual Ag nanoparticles in the ultra-violet spectral regime.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Ming-Wen; Sharma, Pradeep; Chang, Ching-Pin; Liou, Sz Chian; Tsai, Kun-Tong; Wang, Juen-Kai; Wang, Yuh-Lin; Chen, Cheng Hsuan

    2009-06-10

    Previous investigations of surface plasmons in Ag largely focused on their excitations in the visible spectral regime. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy with an electron beam of 0.2 nm in conjunction with electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we spectrally and spatially probe the surface plasmons in individual Ag nanoparticles (approximately 30 nm), grown on Si, in the ultra-violet spectral regime. The nanomaterials show respective sharp and broad surface-plasmon resonances at approximately 3.5 eV (approximately 355 nm) and approximately 7.0 eV (approximately 177 nm), and the correlated spectral calculations established their multipolar characteristics. The near-field distributions of the surface plasmons on the nanoparticles were also mapped out, revealing the predominant dipolar nature of the 3.5 eV excitation with obvious near-field enhancements at one end of the nano-object. The unveiled near-field enhancements have potential applications in plasmonics and molecular sensing.

  19. Probing surface plasmons in individual Ag nanoparticles in the ultra-violet spectral regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, M-W; Chang, C-P; Liou, S C; Wang, J-K; Chen, C H; Sharma, Pradeep; Tsai, K-T; Wang, Y-L

    2009-01-01

    Previous investigations of surface plasmons in Ag largely focused on their excitations in the visible spectral regime. Using scanning transmission electron microscopy with an electron beam of 0.2 nm in conjunction with electron energy-loss spectroscopy, we spectrally and spatially probe the surface plasmons in individual Ag nanoparticles (∼30 nm), grown on Si, in the ultra-violet spectral regime. The nanomaterials show respective sharp and broad surface-plasmon resonances at ∼3.5 eV (∼355 nm) and ∼7.0 eV (∼177 nm), and the correlated spectral calculations established their multipolar characteristics. The near-field distributions of the surface plasmons on the nanoparticles were also mapped out, revealing the predominant dipolar nature of the 3.5 eV excitation with obvious near-field enhancements at one end of the nano-object. The unveiled near-field enhancements have potential applications in plasmonics and molecular sensing.

  20. Study of Chemistry and Structure-Property Relationship on Tunable Plasmonic Nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Hao

    In this dissertation, the rational design and controllable fabrication of an array of novel plasmonic nanostructures with geometrically tunable optical properties are demonstrated, including metal-semiconductor hybrid hetero-nanoparticles, bimetallic noble metal nanoparticles and hollow nanostructures (nanobox and nanocage). Firstly, I have developed a robust wet chemistry approach to the geometry control of Ag-Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles through epitaxial growth of Cu2O nanoshells on the surfaces of various Ag nanostructures, such as quasi-spherical nanoparticles, nanocubes, and nanocuboids. Precise control over the core and the shell geometries enables me to develop detailed, quantitative understanding of how the Cu2O nanoshells introduce interesting modifications to the resonance frequencies and the extinction spectral line shapes of multiple plasmon modes of the Ag cores. Secondly, I present a detailed and systematic study of the controlled overgrowth of Pd on Au nanorods. The overgrowth of Pd nanoshells with fine-controlled dimensions and architectures on single-crystalline Au nanorods through seed-mediated growth protocol in the presence of various surfactants is investigated. Thirdly, I have demonstrated that creation of high-index facets on subwavelength metallic nanoparticles provides a unique approach to the integration of desired plasmonic and catalytic properties on the same nanoparticle. Through site-selective surface etching of metallic nanocuboids whose surfaces are dominated by low-index facets, I have controllably fabricated nanorice and nanodumbbell particles, which exhibit drastically enhanced catalytic activities arising from the catalytically active high index facets abundant on the particle surfaces. And the nanorice and nanodumbbell particles also possess appealing tunable plasmonic properties that allow us to gain quantitative insights into nanoparticle-catalyzed reactions with unprecedented sensitivity and detail through time

  1. Angle Dependent Optics of Plasmonic Core-Shell Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-21

    AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2018-0014 Angle-Dependent Optics of Plasmonic Core-Shell Nanoparticles G.V. Pavan Kumar INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND... EDUCATION AND RESEARCH 900, NCL Innovation Park, Dr Homi Bhabha Road, Pashan PUNE, 411008 IN 8.  PERFORMING ORGANIZATION      REPORT NUMBER 9...function of spherical co-ordinates: azimuthal and polar angles. Absorption, scattering and emission of light from nanoparticles, especially when they are

  2. A novel surface plasmon resonance biosensor based on the PDA-AgNPs-PDA-Au film sensing platform for horse IgG detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ning; Zhang, Di; Deng, Xinyu; Sun, Ying; Wang, Xinghua; Ma, Pinyi; Song, Daqian

    2018-02-01

    Herein we report a novel polydopamine-silver nanoparticle-polydopamine-gold (PDA-AgNPs-PDA-Au) film based surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor for horse IgG detection. The PDA-AgNPs-PDA-Au film sensing platform was built on Au-film via layer-by-layer self-assembly. Ag ion was reduced in situ to AgNPs in presence of PDA. The top PDA layer can prevent AgNPs from being oxidized and connect with antibody via Schiff alkali reaction directly. The morphology and thickness of the modified gold film were characterized using scanning electron microscope and Talystep. Experimental results show that the PDA-AgNPs-PDA-Au film sensing platform is stable, regenerative and sensitive for horse IgG detection. The detection limit of horse IgG obtained with the present biosensor is 0.625 μg mL- 1, which is 2-fold and 4-fold lower than that obtained with biosensor based on PDA modified Au film and conventional biosensor based on MPA, respectively. Furthermore, when challenged to real serum samples, our sensor exhibited excellent specificity to horse IgG, suggesting its potential for industrial application.

  3. On the preferential crystallographic orientation of Au nanoparticles: Effect of electrodeposition time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El-Deab, Mohamed S.

    2009-01-01

    The crystallographic orientation of Au nanoparticles electrodeposited at glassy carbon (nano-Au/GC) electrodes (prepared by potential step electrolysis) is markedly influenced by the width of the potential step. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the reductive desorption of cysteine have been studied on nano-Au/GC electrodes. Furthermore, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technique has been used to probe the crystallographic orientation of the electrodeposited Au nanoparticles. That is, Au nanoparticles prepared in short time (5-60 s) have been found rich in the Au(1 1 1) facet orientation and are characterized by a relatively small particle size (ca. 10-50 nm) as well as high particle density (number of particles per unit area) as revealed by SEM images. Whereas Au nanoparticles prepared by longer electrolysis time (>60 s) are found to be much enriched in the Au(1 0 0) and Au(1 1 0) facets and are characterized by a relatively large particle size (>100 nm). EBSD patterns provided definitive information about the crystal orientations mapping of Au nanoparticles prepared at various deposition times.

  4. Electron photoemission in plasmonic nanoparticle arrays: analysis of collective resonances and embedding effects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhukovsky, Sergei V.; Babicheva, Viktoriia; Uskov, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    We theoretically study the characteristics of photoelectron emission in plasmonic nanoparticle arrays. Nanoparticles are partially embedded in a semiconductor, forming Schottky barriers at metal/semiconductor interfaces through which photoelectrons can tunnel from the nanoparticle...... into the semiconductor; photodetection in the infrared range, where photon energies are below the semiconductor band gap (insufficient for band-to-band absorption in semiconductor), is therefore possible. The nanoparticles are arranged in a sparse rectangular lattice so that the wavelength of the lattice......-induced Rayleigh anomalies can overlap the wavelength of the localized surface plasmon resonance of the individual particles, bringing about collective effects from the nanoparticle array. Using full-wave numerical simulations, we analyze the effects of lattice constant, embedding depth, and refractive index step...

  5. DNA-Nanotechnology-Enabled Chiral Plasmonics: From Static to Dynamic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Chao; Duan, Xiaoyang; Liu, Na

    2017-12-19

    The development of DNA nanotechnology, especially the advent of DNA origami, has made DNA ideally suited to construct nanostructures with unprecedented complexity and arbitrariness. As a fully addressable platform, DNA origami can be used to organize discrete entities in space through DNA hybridization with nanometer accuracy. Among a variety of functionalized particles, metal nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) feature an important pathway to endow DNA-origami-assembled nanostructures with tailored optical functionalities. When metal particles are placed in close proximity, their particle plasmons, i.e., collective oscillations of conduction electrons, can be coupled together, giving rise to a wealth of interesting optical phenomena. Nevertheless, characterization methods that can read out the optical responses from plasmonic nanostructures composed of small metal particles, and especially can optically distinguish in situ their minute conformation changes, are very few. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy has proven to be a successful means to overcome these challenges because of its high sensitivity in discrimination of three-dimensional conformation changes. In this Account, we discuss a variety of static and dynamic chiral plasmonic nanostructures enabled by DNA nanotechnology. In the category of static plasmonic systems, we first show chiral plasmonic nanostructures based on spherical AuNPs, including plasmonic helices, toroids, and tetramers. To enhance the CD responses, anisotropic gold nanorods with larger extinction coefficients are utilized to create chiral plasmonic crosses and helical superstructures. Next, we highlight the inevitable evolution from static to dynamic plasmonic systems along with the fast development of this interdisciplinary field. Several dynamic plasmonic systems are reviewed according to their working mechanisms. We first elucidate a reconfigurable plasmonic cross structure that can execute DNA-regulated conformational

  6. Plasmonic characterization of photo-induced silver nanoparticles extracted from silver halide based TEM film

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sudheer,, E-mail: sudheer@rrcat.gov.in; Tiwari, P.; Rai, V. N.; Srivastava, A. K. [Indus Synchrotrons Utilization Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452013 (India); Varshney, G. K. [Laser Bio-medical Applications & Instrumentation Division, Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology Indore, Madhya Pradesh 452013 (India)

    2016-05-23

    The plasmonic responses of silver nanoparticles extracted from silver halide based electron microscope film are investigated. Photo-reduction process is carried out to convert the silver halide grains into the metallic silver. The centrifuge technique is used for separating the silver nanoparticles from the residual solution. Morphological study performed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) shows that all the nanoparticles have an average diameter of ~120 nm with a high degree of mono dispersion in size. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption peak at ~537 nm confirms the presence of large size silver nanoparticles.

  7. Aptamer-Targeted Plasmonic Photothermal Therapy of Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga S. Kolovskaya

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Novel nanoscale bioconjugates combining unique plasmonic photothermal properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs with targeted delivery using cell-specific DNA aptamers have a tremendous potential for medical diagnostics and therapy of many cell-based diseases. In this study, we demonstrate the high anti-cancer activity of aptamer-conjugated, 37-nm spherical gold nanoparticles toward Ehrlich carcinoma in tumor-bearing mice after photothermal treatment. The synthetic anti-tumor aptamers bring the nanoparticles precisely to the desired cells and selectively eliminate cancer cells after the subsequent laser treatment. To prove tumor eradication, we used positron emission tomography (PET utilizing radioactive glucose and computer tomography, followed by histological analysis of cancer tissue. Three injections of aptamer-conjugated AuNPs and 5 min of laser irradiations are enough to make the tumor undetectable by PET. Histological analysis proves PET results and shows lower damage of healthy tissue in addition to a higher treatment efficiency and selectivity of the gold nanoparticles functionalized with aptamers in comparison to control experiments using free unconjugated nanoparticles.

  8. Highly Ordered Periodic Au/TiO₂ Hetero-Nanostructures for Plasmon-Induced Enhancement of the Activity and Stability for Ethanol Electro-oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Zhao; Wang, Qiyu; Zheng, Weitao; Cui, Xiaoqiang

    2016-03-02

    The catalytic electro-oxidation of ethanol is the essential technique for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) in the area of alternative energy for the ability of converting the chemical energy of alcohol into the electric energy directly. Developing highly efficient and stable electrode materials with antipoisoning ability for ethanol electro-oxidation remains a challenge. A highly ordered periodic Au-nanoparticle (NP)-decorated bilayer TiO2 nanotube (BTNT) heteronanostructure was fabricated by a two-step anodic oxidation of Ti foil and the subsequent photoreduction of HAuCl4. The plasmon-induced charge separation on the heterointerface of Au/TiO2 electrode enhances the electrocatalytic activity and stability for the ethanol oxidation under visible light irradiation. The highly ordered periodic heterostructure on the electrode surface enhanced the light harvesting and led to the greater performance of ethanol electro-oxidation under irradiation compared with the ordinary Au NPs-decorated monolayer TiO2 nanotube (MTNT). This novel Au/TiO2 electrode also performed a self-cleaning property under visible light attributed to the enhanced electro-oxidation of the adsorbed intermediates. This light-driven enhancement of the electrochemical performances provides a development strategy for the design and construction of DAFCs.

  9. Enhanced thermal lens effect in gold nanoparticle-doped Lyotropic liquid crystal by nanoparticle clustering probed by Z-scan technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomez, S.L.; Lenart, V.M.

    2015-01-01

    This work presents an experimental study of the thermal lens effect in Au nanoparticles-doped lyotropic liquid crystals under cw 532 nm optical excitation. Spherical Au nanoparticles of about 12 nm were prepared by Turkevich’s method, and the lyotropic liquid crystal was a ternary mixture of SDS, 1-DeOH, and water that exhibits an isotropic phase at room temperature. The lyotropic matrix induces aggregation of the nanoparticles, leading to a broad and a red-shifted surface plasmon resonance. The thermal nonlinear optical refraction coefficient n 2 increases as a power of number density of nanoparticles, being possible to address this behavior to nanoparticle clustering. (author)

  10. Enhanced thermal lens effect in gold nanoparticle-doped Lyotropic liquid crystal by nanoparticle clustering probed by Z-scan technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gomez, S.L.; Lenart, V.M., E-mail: sgomez@uepg.br [Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa (UEPG), PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Turchiello, R.T. [Universidade Federal Tecnologica do Parana (UFTPR), Ponta Grossa, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Goya, G.F. [Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Aragon Institute of Nanoscience, Zaragoza (Spain)

    2015-10-01

    This work presents an experimental study of the thermal lens effect in Au nanoparticles-doped lyotropic liquid crystals under cw 532 nm optical excitation. Spherical Au nanoparticles of about 12 nm were prepared by Turkevich’s method, and the lyotropic liquid crystal was a ternary mixture of SDS, 1-DeOH, and water that exhibits an isotropic phase at room temperature. The lyotropic matrix induces aggregation of the nanoparticles, leading to a broad and a red-shifted surface plasmon resonance. The thermal nonlinear optical refraction coefficient n{sub 2} increases as a power of number density of nanoparticles, being possible to address this behavior to nanoparticle clustering. (author)

  11. Systematic Control of Self-Assembled Au Nanoparticles and Nanostructures Through the Variation of Deposition Amount, Annealing Duration, and Temperature on Si (111).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ming-Yu; Sui, Mao; Pandey, Puran; Zhang, Quanzhen; Kim, Eun-Soo; Lee, Jihoon

    2015-12-01

    The size, density, and configurations of Au nanoparticles (NPs) can play important roles in controlling the electron mobility, light absorption, and localized surface plasmon resonance, and further in the Au NP-assisted nanostructure fabrications. In this study, we present a systematical investigation on the evolution of Au NPs and nanostructures on Si (111) by controlling the deposition amount (DA), annealing temperature (AT), and dwelling time (DT). Under an identical growth condition, the morphologies of Au NPs and nanostructures drastically evolve when the DA is only slightly varied, based on the Volmer-Weber and coalescence models: i.e. I: mini NPs, II: mid-sized round dome-shaped Au NPs, III: large Au NPs, and IV: coalesced nanostructures. With the AT control, three distinctive ranges are observed: i.e., NP nucleation, Au NPs maturation and melting. The gradual dimensional expansion of Au NPs is always compensated with the density reduction, which is explained with the thermodynamic theory. The DT effect is relatively minor on Au NPs, a sharp contrast to other metallic NPs, which is discussed based on the Ostwald-ripening.

  12. Detection of Volatile Organic Compound Gas Using Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Gold Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sri Nengsih; Akrajas Ali Umar; Muhamad Mat Salleh; Muhammad Yahaya

    2011-01-01

    This paper reports on the detection of several organic vapors using the unique characteristic of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles on quartz substrate were prepared using seed mediated growth method. In a typical process, gold nanoparticles with average size ca. 36 nm were obtained to densely grown on the substrate. Detection of gas was based on the change in the LSPR of the gold nanoparticles film upon the exposure to the gas sample. It was found that gold nanoparticles were sensitive to the presence of volatile organic compound (VOC) gas from the change in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) intensity. The mechanism for the detection of VOCs gas will be discussed. (author)

  13. Studies on L-histidine capped Ag and Au nanoparticles for dopamine detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nivedhini Iswarya, Chandrasekaran; Kiruba Daniel, S.C.G. [Division of Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India); Sivakumar, Muthusamy, E-mail: muthusiva@gmail.com [Division of Nanoscience and Technology, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India); Department of Chemistry, Anna University-BIT Campus, Tiruchirappalli 620024 (India)

    2017-06-01

    This work demonstrates the effective surface functionalization of Ag, Au and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles using L-histidine for colorimetric detection of dopamine (DA) which plays majorly in recognizing the neurological disorder. L-Histidine (L-His) capped Ag, Au, and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles are characterized using physico-chemical techniques. The optical behaviour of nanoparticles has been analysed at various time intervals using UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy. FT-IR results provide the evidence of chemical bonding between L-histidine and metal nanoparticles. Its structure with the capping of L-His was clearly shown in HR-TEM images. The average size of nanoparticles has calculated from TEM image fringes are 11 nm, 5 nm and 6.5 nm respectively, matches with crystals size calculated from X-ray diffraction pattern. Enhanced optical nature of nanoparticles provides the best platform to develop a colorimetric-based biosensor for DA detection. After addition of DA, a rapid colour change has been noted in colloids of nanoparticles. The substantial changes in absorbance and λ{sub max} in metal nanoparticles respect to DA concentration have been observed and formulated. This is one of the successive methods for trace level determination of DA and will be going to a significant material for designing biosensor to determine DA in real extracellular body fluids. - Highlights: • L-His functionalized Ag, Au and bimetallic Ag-Au nanoparticles were prepared and its properties were studied. • L-His based Ag, Au, Ag-Au nanoparticles have characterized by spectroscopy, XRD and microscopic studies. • Enhanced optical nature of nanoparticles delivers the best platform to develop a biosensor for DA detection. • For qualitative determination of dopamine, SPR of metal nanoparticles plays a major role in dopamine determination. • This basic finding can be utilized for further identification of imbalanced DA concentration in body fluids.

  14. Plasmon-assisted photoluminescence enhancement of SiC nanocrystals by proximal silver nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, N.; Dai, D.J.; Fan, J.Y.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We studied metal surface plasmon-enhanced photoluminescence in SiC nanocrystals. ► The integrated emission intensity can be enhanced by 17 times. ► The coupling between SiC emission and Ag plasmon oscillation induces the enhancement. ► The enhancement is tunable with varied spacing thickness of electrolytes. - Abstract: Plasmon-enhanced photoluminescence has wide application potential in many areas, whereas the underlying mechanism is still in debate. We report the photoluminescence enhancement in SiC nanocrystal–Ag nanoparticle coupled system spaced by the poly(styrene sulfonic acid) sodium salt/poly(allylamine hydrochloride) polyelectrolyte bilayers. The integrated luminescence intensity can be improved by up to 17 times. Our analysis indicates that the strong coupling between the SiC nanocrystals and the surface plasmon oscillation of the silver nanoparticles is the major cause of the luminescence enhancement. These findings will help to understand the photoluminescence enhancement mechanism as well as widen the applications of the SiC nanocrystals in photonics and life sciences.

  15. Plasmonic nanoparticle films for solar cell applications fabricated by size-selective aerosol deposition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pfeiffer, T.V.; Ortiz Gonzalez, J.; Santbergen, R.; Tan, H.; Schmidt-Ott, A.; Zeman, M.; Smets, A.H.M.

    2014-01-01

    A soft deposition method for incorporating surface plasmon resonant metal nanoparticles within photovoltaic devices was studied. This self-assembly method provides excellent control over both nanoparticle size and surface coverage. Films of spherical Ag nanoparticles with diameter of ?100 nm were

  16. Green preparation and spectroscopic characterization of plasmonic silver nanoparticles using fruits as reducing agents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hyllested, Jes Ærøe; Espina Palanco, Marta; Hagen, Nicolai

    2015-01-01

    Cl. This explains only modest enhancement factors for near-infrared-excited surface enhanced Raman scattering. In addition to the surface plasmon band, UV-visible absorption spectra show features in the UV range which indicates also the presence of small silver clusters, such as Ag42+. The increase of the plasmon...... absorption correlates with the decrease of absorption band in the UV. This confirms the evolution of silver nanoparticles from silver clusters. The presence of various silver clusters on the surface of the “green” plasmonic silver nanoparticles is also supported by a strong multi-color luminesce signal...

  17. Optical Properties of Plasmon Resonances with Ag/SiO2/Ag Multi-Layer Composite Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ye-Wan, Ma; Li-Hua, Zhang; Zhao-Wang, Wu; Jie, Zhang

    2010-01-01

    Optical properties of plasmon resonance with Ag/SiO 2 /Ag multi-layer nanoparticles are studied by numerical simulation based on Green's function theory. The results show that compared with single-layer Ag nanoparticles, the multi-layer nanoparticles exhibit several distinctive optical properties, e.g. with increasing the numbers of the multi-layer nanoparticles, the scattering efficiency red shifts, and the intensity of scattering enhances accordingly. It is interesting to find out that slicing an Ag-layer into multi-layers leads to stronger scattering intensity and more 'hot spots' or regions of stronger field enhancement. This property of plasmon resonance of surface Raman scattering has greatly broadened the application scope of Raman spectroscopy. The study of metal surface plasmon resonance characteristics is critical to the further understanding of surface enhanced Raman scattering as well as its applications. (fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications))

  18. Synthesis methods of gold nanoparticles for Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR sensor applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samsuri Nurul Diyanah

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Gold nanoparticles (GNPs have been known as an excellent characteristic for Local Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR sensors due to their sensitive spectral response to the local environment of the nanoparticle surface and ease of monitoring the light signal due to their strong scattering or absorption. Prior the technologies, GNPs based LSPR has been commercialized and have become a central tool for characterizing and quantifying in various field. In this review, we presented a brief introduction on the history of surface plasmon, the theory behind the surface plasmon resonance (SPR and the principles of LSPR. We also reported on the synthetization as well of the properties of the GNPs and the applications in current LSPR sensors.

  19. Novel Au/CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} nanocomposites with plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Jie; Meng, Suci, E-mail: mengsc@ujs.edu.cn; Wang, Tianyong; Xu, Qing; Shao, Leqiang; Jiang, Deli, E-mail: dlj@ujs.edu.cn; Chen, Min

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Au/CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} nanocomposites were fabricated by a simple photoreduction process. • The nanocomposites shown plasmon-enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. • The enhanced activity was mainly due to improved separation of charge carriers. • The superoxide radicals and holes are the two main photoactive species. - Abstract: A series of Au/CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} nanocomposites with different Au contents were prepared by a simple photoreduction process. Under visible light irradiation, the as-prepared Au/CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} nanocomposites exhibited plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) compared to that of bare CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}. The sample with 4 wt% Au hybridized CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency for MB degradation compared with those of the other nanocomposites. The mechanism for improving the photocatalytic performance of the Au/CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4} nanocomposites was proposed by using the photoluminescence measurement and electrochemical analyses. The enhanced photocatalytic performance could be attributed to the high separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This work could provide a new insight into the fabrication of CaIn{sub 2}S{sub 4}-based plasmonic photocatalysts with enhanced performance.

  20. Fabrication of Au nanoparticle/double-walled carbon nanotube film/TiO{sub 2} nanotube array/Ti heterojunctions with low resistance state for broadband photodetectors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Yan [School of Mathematics and Physics, Mianyang Teachers’ College (Mianyang Normal University), Mianyang 621000 (China); Zhang, Guowei; Dong, Zhanmin [Department of Physics and State Key Lab of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084 (China); Wei, Jinquan [Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing Technology of Education Ministry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084 (China); Zhu, Jia-Lin [Department of Physics and State Key Lab of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084 (China); Sun, Jia-Lin, E-mail: jlsun@tsinghua.edu.cn [Department of Physics and State Key Lab of Low-Dimensional Quantum Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing100084 (China); Collaborative Innovation Center of Quantum Matter, Beijing (China)

    2017-03-01

    A broadband photodetector based on Au nanoparticle/double-walled carbon nanotube film/TiO{sub 2} nanotube array /Ti multilayer heterojunction structures has been fabricated. A pre-electroforming process at a voltage bias of 35 V was used to switch the photodetector from a high resistance state to a low resistance state. At a voltage bias of 1 V under 532-nm laser illumination in air, the photoresponsivity of the device reached 15.41 mA W{sup −1}, which is enhanced by approximately 1.91 times when compared with that of device before deposition of Au nanoparticles. In addition, in a vacuum under a voltage bias of 1 V, the photoresponsivity of the device reached 23.29 mA W{sup −1} and 6.85 mA W{sup −1} at 532 nm and 1064 nm, respectively. The surface plasmon polaritons of the Au nanoparticles allowed extension of the sensitivity of the photosensitive regions into the mid-infrared range. The experimental results show that the device photoresponsivity reached 2.26 mA W{sup −1} at a voltage bias of 1 V under 10.6-µm laser illumination in air.

  1. Electrocrystallization of Au nanoparticles on glassy carbon from HClO4 solution containing [AuCl4]-

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komsiyska, L.; Staikov, G.

    2008-01-01

    The mechanism and kinetics of electrocrystallization of Au nanoparticles on glassy carbon (GC) were investigated in the system GC/1 mM KAuCl 4 + 0.1 M HClO 4 . Experimental results show that the gold electrodeposition follows the so-called Volmer-Weber growth mechanism involving formation and growth of 3D Au nanoparticles on an unmodified GC substrate. The analysis of current transients shows that at relatively positive electrode potentials (E ≥ 0.84 V) the deposition kinetics corresponds to the theoretical model for progressive nucleation and diffusion-controlled 3D growth of Au nanoparticles. The potential dependence of the nucleation rate extracted from the current transients is in agreement with the atomistic theory of nucleation. At sufficiently negative electrode potentials (E ≤ 0.64 V) the nucleation frequency becomes very high and the nucleation occurs instantaneously. Based on this behaviour is applied a potentiostatic double-pulse routine, which allows controlled electrodeposition of Au nanoparticles with a relatively narrow size distribution

  2. Dynamical coupling of plasmons and molecular excitations by hybrid quantum/classical calculations: time-domain approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakko, Arto; Rossi, Tuomas P; Nieminen, Risto M

    2014-01-01

    The presence of plasmonic material influences the optical properties of nearby molecules in untrivial ways due to the dynamical plasmon-molecule coupling. We combine quantum and classical calculation schemes to study this phenomenon in a hybrid system that consists of a Na 2 molecule located in the gap between two Au/Ag nanoparticles. The molecule is treated quantum-mechanically with time-dependent density-functional theory, and the nanoparticles with quasistatic classical electrodynamics. The nanoparticle dimer has a plasmon resonance in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the Na 2 molecule has an electron-hole excitation in the same energy range. Due to the dynamical interaction of the two subsystems the plasmon and the molecular excitations couple, creating a hybridized molecular-plasmon excited state. This state has unique properties that yield e.g. enhanced photoabsorption compared to the freestanding Na 2 molecule. The computational approach used enables decoupling of the mutual plasmon-molecule interaction, and our analysis verifies that it is not legitimate to neglect the backcoupling effect when describing the dynamical interaction between plasmonic material and nearby molecules. Time-resolved analysis shows nearly instantaneous formation of the coupled state, and provides an intuitive picture of the underlying physics. (paper)

  3. Estimation of sensing characteristics for refractory nitrides based gain assisted core-shell plasmonic nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shishodia, Manmohan Singh; Pathania, Pankaj

    2018-04-01

    Refractory transition metal nitrides such as zirconium nitride (ZrN), hafnium nitride (HfN) and titanium nitride (TiN) have emerged as viable alternatives to coinage metals based plasmonic materials, e.g., gold (Au) and silver (Ag). The present work assesses the suitability of gain assisted ZrN-, HfN- and TiN-based conventional core-shell nanoparticles (CCSNPs) and multilayered core-shell nanoparticles (MCSNPs) for refractive index sensing. We report that the optical gain incorporation in the dielectric layer leads to multifold enhancement of the scattering efficiency (Qsca), substantial reduction of the spectral full width at half maximum, and a higher figure of merit (FOM). In comparison with CCSNPs, the MCSNP system exhibits superior sensing characteristics such as higher FOM, ˜ 45% reduction in the critical optical gain, response shift towards the biological window, and higher degree of tunability. Inherent biocompatibility, growth compatibility, chemical stability and flexible spectral tuning of refractory nitrides augmented by superior sensing properties in the present work may pave the way for refractory nitrides based low cost sensing.

  4. Deposition of plasmon gold–fluoropolymer nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Safonov, Alexey I., E-mail: safonov@itp.nsc.ru [Kutateladze Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS, Lavrentyev Ave. 1, 630090, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Sulyaeva, Veronica S. [Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, Lavrentyev Ave. 3, 630090, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation); Timoshenko, Nikolay I.; Kubrak, Konstantin V.; Starinskiy, Sergey V. [Kutateladze Institute of Thermophysics SB RAS, Lavrentyev Ave. 1, 630090, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

    2016-12-01

    Degradation-resistant two-dimensional metal–fluoropolymer composites consisting of gold nanoparticles coated with a thin fluoropolymer film were deposited on a substrate by hot wire chemical vapour deposition (HWCVD) and ion sputtering. The morphology and optical properties of the obtained coatings were determined. The thickness of the thin fluoropolymer film was found to influence the position of the surface plasmon resonance peak. Numerical calculations of the optical properties of the deposited materials were performed using Mie theory and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method. The calculation results are consistent with the experimental data. The study shows that the position of the resonance peak can be controlled by changing the surface concentration of particles and the thickness of the fluoropolymer coating. The protective coating was found to prevent the plasmonic properties of the nanoparticles from changing for several months. - Highlights: • The gold–fluoropolymer composites are obtained by a combination of GJD and HWCVD. • The optical properties of composites were determined by experiments and calculation. • The dependence of SPR position on filling, NPs size and FP thickness were analyzed. • The plasmonic properties of the Au NPs are saved in the fluoropolymer matrix.

  5. Green synthesis of Au nanoparticles using potato extract: stability and growth mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo-López, D. N.; Pal, U.

    2014-08-01

    We report on the synthesis of spherical, well-dispersed colloidal gold nanoparticles of 17.5-23.5 nm average sizes in water using potato extract (PE) both as reducing and stabilizing agent. The effects of PE content and the pH value of the reaction mixture have been studied. Formation and growth dynamics of the Au nanoparticles in the colloids were studied using transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis optical absorption spectroscopy techniques. While the reductor content and, hence, the nucleation and growth rates of the nanoparticles could be controlled by controlling the PE content in the reaction solution, the stability of the nanoparticles depended strongly on the pH of the reaction mixture. The mechanisms of Au ion reduction and stabilization of Au nanoparticles by potato starch have been discussed. The use of common natural solvent like water and biological reductor like PE in our synthesis process opens up the possibility of synthesizing Au nanoparticles in fully green (environmental friendly) way, and the Au nanoparticles produced in such way should have good biocompatibility.

  6. Optical properties of supported core-shell and alloy silver/gold nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hubenthal, Frank; Traeger, Frank [Universitaet Kassel (Germany)

    2008-07-01

    For many applications like surface enhanced Raman scattering in which the optical field enhancement associated with surface plasmon excitation is exploited, tunability of this collective resonance over a wide range is required. For this purpose we have prepared core-shell and alloy nanoparticles consisting of Ag and Au. The core-shell nanoparticles were made by subsequent deposition of Ag and Au atoms and vice versa on dielectric substrates followed by diffusion and nucleation. One of the most interesting among the numerous results is that the plasmon frequency can be tuned from 2.8 eV (442 nm) to 2.1 eV (590 nm) depending on the Au shell thickness. Subsequent annealing of the core-shell nanoparticles causes a shift of the resonance frequency to 2.6 eV. Theoretical modelling allows us to attribute this observation to the formation of alloy nanoparticles. Finally, we have measured the dephasing time T{sub 2} of the alloy nanoparticles by means of spectral hole burning. T{sub 2} amounts to 8.1{+-}1.6 fs, in good agreement with the dephasing time T{sub 2}=8.9 fs that is included in the dielectric function of the bulk.

  7. SERS-active Ag, Au and Ag–Au alloy nanoparticles obtained by laser ablation in liquids for sensing methylene blue

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olea-Mejía, Oscar, E-mail: oleaoscar@yahoo.com.mx [Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, km 14.5 Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, San Cayetano 50200, México (Mexico); Fernández-Mondragón, Mariana; Rodríguez-de la Concha, Gabriela [Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, km 14.5 Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, San Cayetano 50200, México (Mexico); Camacho-López, Marco [Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Materiales Avanzados, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Km 14.5 Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco, San Cayetano 50925, México (Mexico)

    2015-09-01

    Highlights: • We synthesized Ag/Au nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquids. • We characterized such particles by UV–vis, TEM and EDS/STEM. • The SERS effect was studied for the obtained nanoparticles. • Pure silver nanoparticles showed the highest SERS signals. • We can sense methylene blue at a concentration of 10{sup −10} mole/L. - Abstract: We have synthesized Ag–Au nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquids using five different targets: 100% Ag, 80%Ag/20%Au, 50%Ag/50%Au, 20%Ag/80%Au and 100% Au (weight percentages). We used ethanol and methylene blue solutions in ethanol as the liquid media. The nanoparticles were mostly spherical with diameters 15, 19, 18, 23 and 11 nm, respectively. When alloyed targets were used, the resulting nanoparticles were completely alloyed forming solid solutions as evidenced by UV–vis Spectroscopy and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy. The obtained nanoparticles were employed to study the SERS effect of the methylene blue molecule. All the samples showed good SERS activity, however the ones composed of pure silver showed the greatest Raman signal enhancement. Finally, pure Ag nanoparticles were used for sensing methylene blue at different concentrations. While almost no signal can be discerned from the Raman spectrum when no particles are used at a concentration of methylene blue of 1 × 10{sup −2} M (∼3000 ppm), when Ag nanoparticles are used one can observe the characteristic peak of the molecule at concentrations as low as 1 × 10{sup −10} M (∼3 × 10{sup −5} ppm)

  8. Synthesis of self-assembly plasmonic silver nanoparticles with tunable luminescence color

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Ghamdi, Haifa S.; Mahmoud, Waleed E.

    2014-01-01

    Assembly is an elegant and effective bottom-up approach to prepare arrays of nanoparticles from nobel metals. Noble metal nanoparticles are perfect building blocks because they can be prepared with an adequate functionalization to allow their assembly and with controlled sizes. Herein, we report a novel recipe for the synthesis of self-assembled silver nanoparticles with tunable optical properties and sizes. The synthetic route followed here based on the covalent binding among silver nanoparticles by means of poly vinyl alcohol for the first time. The size of silver nanoparticle is governed by varying the amount of sodium borohydride. The as-synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, selected area electron diffraction and UV–vis spectroscopy. Results depicted that self-assembly of mono-dispersed silver nanoparticles with different sizes have been achieved. The silver nanostructure has a single crystalline faced centered cubic structure with growth orientation along (1 1 1) facet. These nanoparticles exhibited localized surface plasmon resonance at 403 nm. The luminescence peaks were red-sifted from violet to green due to the increase of the particle sizes. -- Highlights: • Self-assembled silver nanoparticles based PVA were synthesized. • NaBH 4 amount was found particle size dependent. • Silver nanoparticles strongly affected the surface plasmon resonance. • Highly symmetric luminescence emission band narrow width is obtained. • Dark field image showed a tunable color change from violet to green

  9. Preparation of gold nanoparticles for plasmonic applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benkovicova, Monika, E-mail: monika.benkovicova@savba.sk [Institute of Physics SAS, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 11 Bratislava (Slovakia); Polymer Institute SAS, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 41 Bratislava (Slovakia); Vegso, Karol; Siffalovic, Peter; Jergel, Matej; Luby, Stefan; Majkova, Eva [Institute of Physics SAS, Dubravska cesta 9, 845 11 Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2013-09-30

    We present a simple hot injection method for the preparation of colloidal solutions of hydrophobic spherical gold nanoparticles with the diameter around 20 nm and size dispersion below 20%. Various surfactants with different lengths of hydrocarbon chains, such as oleylamine, 1-octadecanethiol, poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone), and AgNO{sub 3} in 1,5-pentanediol, were used for sterical stabilization in the colloidal solution. The hydrodynamic nanoparticle size and size dispersion were determined by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) while the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) from the colloidal solution provided information on the size of the metallic nanoparticle core (without surfactant). Plasmon enhanced resonant absorption peaks between 500 nm and 600 nm were detected by the UV–VIS spectrophotometry. The nanoparticle arrays on silicon prepared by solvent evaporation or Langmuir-Schaefer method were inspected by high-resolution scanning electron microscopy and grazing-incidence SAXS (GISAXS). The presence of side maxima in the GISAXS pattern gives evidence of the nanoparticle ordering by self-assembly while very close values of the interparticle distance derived from GISAXS and the nanoparticle size derived from DLS indicate a close-packed order. - Highlights: ► Preparation of gold nanoparticles by use a various of surfactants ► Preparation of monodisperse nanoparticles ► Characterization of nanoparticles on a solid substrate.

  10. Influence of the Debye length on the interaction of a small molecule-modified Au nanoparticle with a surface-bound bioreceptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bukar, Natalia; Zhao, Sandy Shuo; Charbonneau, David M; Pelletier, Joelle N; Masson, Jean-Francois

    2014-05-18

    We report that a shorter Debye length and, as a consequence, decreased colloidal stability are required for the molecular interaction of folic acid-modified Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) to occur on a surface-bound receptor, human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR). The interaction measured using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensing was optimal in a phosphate buffer at pH 6 and ionic strength exceeding 300 mM. Under these conditions, the aggregation constant of the Au NPs was approximately 10(4) M(-1) s(-1) and the Debye length was below 1 nm, on the same length scale as the size of the folate anion (approximately 0.8 nm). Longer Debye lengths led to poorer SPR responses, revealing a reduced affinity of the folic acid-modified Au NPs for hDHFR. While high colloidal stability of Au NPs is desired in most applications, these conditions may hinder molecular interactions due to Debye lengths exceeding the size of the ligand and thus preventing close interactions with the surface-bound molecular receptor.

  11. Gold nanostars reshaping and plasmon tuning mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kedia, Abhitosh; Kumar, P. Senthil

    2013-02-01

    Au nanostars are multi-branched nanoparticles with sharp tips which display enhanced plasmonic applications in SERS and nanophotonics. It has already been well documented that polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) dispersed in DMF solvent medium act as a unique candidate for realization of this 3-D complex branched metal nanostructures even under normal conditions. Interestingly, controlled addition of propanol to DMF brings about significant changes in the morphology of these gold nanostars visualized through gradual blue shifting of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) from 920 to 600 nm. Modified interaction between DMF-PVP arising due to introduction of alcohol results in fine tuning of LSPR correlated with corresponding aesthetic changes as clearly evidenced from TEM images. Thus, our ability in synthesizing anisotropic metal nanoparticles with wavelength tunable LSPRs through a simple yet elegant chemical solution synthesis procedure opens up a gamut of new applications in both linear and nonlinear optical spectroscopy.

  12. Enhanced selective photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CH4 over plasmonic Au modified g-C3N4 photocatalyst under UV-vis light irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Hailong; Gao, Yan; Xiong, Zhuo; Liao, Chen; Shih, Kaimin

    2018-05-01

    A series of Au-g-C3N4 (Au-CN) catalysts were prepared through a NaBH4-reduction method using g-C3N4 (CN) from pyrolysis of urea as precursor. The catalysts' surface area, crystal structure, surface morphology, chemical state, functional group composition and optical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectra, fourier transform infrared, photoluminescence and transient photocurrent analysis. The carbon dioxide (CO2) photoreduction activities under ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) light irradiation were significantly enhanced when gold (Au) was loaded on the surface of CN. 2Au-CN catalyst with Au to CN mole ratio of 2% showed the best catalytic activity. After 2 h UV-vis light irradiation, the methane (CH4) yield over the 2Au-CN catalyst was 9.1 times higher than that over the pure CN. The CH4 selectivity also greatly improved for the 2Au-CN compared to the CN. The deposited Au nanoparticles facilitated the separation of electron-hole pairs on the CN surface. Moreover, the surface plasmon resonance effect of Au further promoted the generation of hot electrons and visible light absorption. Therefore, Au loading significantly improved CO2 photoreduction performance of CN under UV-vis light irradiation.

  13. Au-Nanomaterials as a Superior Choice for Near-Infrared Photothermal Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fahmida Jabeen

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Photothermal therapy (PPT is a platform to fight cancer by using multiplexed interactive plasmonic nanomaterials as probes in combination with the excellent therapeutic performance of near-infrared (NIR light. With recent rapid developments in optics and nanotechnology, plasmonic materials have potential in cancer diagnosis and treatment, but there are some concerns regarding their clinical use. The primary concerns include the design of plasmonic nanomaterials which are taken up by the tissues, perform their function and then clear out from the body. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs can be developed in different morphologies and functionalized to assist the photothermal therapy in a way that they have clinical value. This review outlines the diverse Au morphologies, their distinctive characteristics, concerns and limitations to provide an idea of the requirements in the field of NIR-based therapeutics.

  14. Hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles as electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reactions

    KAUST Repository

    Song, Hyon Min; Anjum, Dalaver H.; Sougrat, Rachid; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2012-01-01

    that individual metals may not catalyze. Here, preparation of hollow Au@Pd and Au@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) and their use as electrocatalysts are reported. Galvanic displacement with Ag NPs is used to obtain hollow NPs, and higher reduction potential of Au

  15. Controllable synthesis of Au@SnO2 core-shell nanohybrids with enhanced photocatalytic activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shaofeng; Hao, Jinggang; Ren, Feng; Wu, Wei; Xiao, Xiangheng

    2017-05-01

    Combination of semiconductors with plasmonic nanostructures is an effective route to promote the solar light harvesting as well as the efficiency of photocatalysis. In the present work, the Au@SnO2 hybrid nanostructures with Au nanorods as the cores and highly crystallized SnO2 nanoparticles as the shells were fabricated by a facile hydrothermal method. A critical factor, which influences the coating state of the SnO2 shells over Au NRs, was found to be the concentration of CTAB agent in the system and the corresponding mechanism was also proposed. The photocatalytic activities of the Au@SnO2 nanohybrids were examined by degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dyes at room temperature. The Au@SnO2 nanohybrids exhibited much higher catalytic activities than that of the commercial SnO2 NPs, which could be attributed to the localized electric field enhancement effect of Au nanorods plasmon and charges transfer between the Au nanorods and SnO2.

  16. Surface plasmon enhanced organic light emitting diodes by gold nanoparticles with different sizes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Chia-Yuan; Chen, Ying-Chung [Department of Electrical Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China); Chen, Kan-Lin [Department of Electronic Engineering, Fortune Institute of Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China); Huang, Chien-Jung, E-mail: chien@nuk.edu.tw [Department of Applied Physics, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung, Taiwan (China)

    2015-11-30

    Highlights: • Different varieties, sizes, and shapes for nanoparticles will generate different surface plasmon resonance effects in the devices. • The red-shift phenomenon for absorption peaks is because of an increasing contribution of higher-order plasmon modes for the larger gold nanoparticles. • The mobility of electrons in the electron-transport layer of organic light-emitting diodes is a few orders of magnitude lower than that of holes in the hole-transport layer of organic light-emitting diodes. - Abstract: The influence of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) with different sizes doped into (poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate)) (PEDOT:PSS) on the performance of organic light-emitting diodes is investigated in this study. The current efficiency of the device, at a current density of 145 mA/cm, with PEDOT:PSS doped with GNPs of 8 nm is about 1.57 times higher than that of the device with prime PEDOT:PSS because the absorption peak of GNPs is closest to the photoluminescence peak of the emission layer, resulting in maximum surface plasmon resonance effect in the device. In addition, the surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy also reveals the maximum surface plasmon resonance effect in the device when the mean particle size of GNPs is 8 nm.

  17. Visible light photoactivity of TiO{sub 2} loaded with monometallic (Au or Pt) and bimetallic (Au/Pt) nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gołąbiewska, Anna, E-mail: annagolabiewska@o2.pl [Department of Chemical Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk (Poland); Lisowski, Wojciech [Mazovia Center for Surface Analysis, Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 01-224 Warsaw (Poland); Jarek, Marcin; Nowaczyk, Grzegorz [NanoBioMedical Center, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 85, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Zielińska-Jurek, Anna; Zaleska, Adriana [Department of Chemical Technology, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdańsk (Poland)

    2014-10-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Au/Pt nanoparticles enhanced TiO{sub 2} photocatalytic activity under visible irradiation. • Higher photoactivity of Au/Pt-TiO{sub 2} resulted from smaller Au/Pt particles. • Intermetallic state of AuPt favors charge transfer between the metals. • TiO{sub 2} obtained by TIP hydrolysis seems to be best matrix for Au/Pt-TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2} modified with monometallic (Au or Pt) and bimetallic (Au/Pt) nanoparticles have been prepared using a water-in-oil microemulsion system (water/AOT/cyclohexane) followed by calcination step. The effect of metal ratio, reducing agent type (NaBH{sub 4} or N{sub 2}H{sub 4}), TiO{sub 2} matrix type (P-25, ST-01, TiO-5, TiO{sub 2} nanotubes or TiO{sub 2} obtained by TIP hydrolysis) as well as calcination temperature (from 350 to 650 °C) were systematically investigated. Obtained photocatalysts were characterized by UV–vis diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), BET surface area measurements, scanning transmission microscopy (STEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photocatalytic activity under visible light (λ > 420 nm) has been estimated in phenol degradation reaction in aqueous phase. The results showed that phenol degradation rate under visible light in the presence of TiO{sub 2} loaded with Au/Pt nanoparticles differed from 0.7 to 2.2 μmol dm{sup −3} min{sup −1} for samples prepared using different reducing agent. Sodium borohydride (NaBH{sub 4}) favors formation of smaller Au/Pt nanoparticles and higher amount gold in Au/Pt is in the form of electronegative species (Au{sup δ−}) resulted in higher photoactivity. TiO{sub 2} obtained by TIP hydrolysis in microemulsion system seems to be the best support for Au/Pt nanoparticles from all among investigated matrix. It was also observed that enhancement of calcination temperature from 450 to 650 °C resulted in rapid drop of Au/Pt-TiO{sub 2} photoactivity under visible light

  18. Enhancement of plasmon-induced charge separation efficiency by coupling silver nanocubes with a thin gold film

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akiyoshi, Kazutaka; Saito, Koichiro; Tatsuma, Tetsu

    2016-10-01

    Plasmon-induced charge separation (PICS), in which an energetic electron is injected from a plasmonic nanoparticle (NP) to a semiconductor on contact, is often inhibited by a protecting agent adsorbed on the NP. We addressed this issue for an Ag nanocube-TiO2 system by coating it with a thin Au layer or by inserting the Au layer between the nanocubes (NCs) and TiO2. Both of the electrodes exhibit much higher photocurrents due to PICS than the electrodes without the Au film or the Ag NCs. These photocurrent enhancements can be explained in terms of PICS with accelerated electron transfer, in which electron injection from the Ag NCs or Ag@Au core-shell NCs to TiO2 is promoted by the Au film, or PICS enhanced by a nanoantenna effect, in which the electron injection from the Au film to TiO2 is enhanced by optical near field generated by the Ag NC.

  19. Theoretical studies of acrolein hydrogenation on Au20 nanoparticle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhe; Chen, Zhao-Xu; He, Xiang; Kang, Guo-Jun

    2010-05-01

    Gold nanoparticles play a key role in catalytic processes. We investigated the kinetics of stepwise hydrogenation of acrolein on Au20 cluster model and compared with that on Au(110) surface. The rate-limiting step barrier of CC reduction is about 0.5 eV higher than that of CO hydrogenation on Au(110) surface. On Au20 nanoparticle, however, the energy barrier of the rate-determining step for CC hydrogenation turns out to be slightly lower than the value for the CO reduction. The selectivity difference on the two substrate models are attributed to different adsorption modes of acrolein: via the CC on Au20, compared to through both CC and CO on Au(110). The preference switch implies that the predicted selectivity of competitive hydrogenation depends on substrate model sensitively, and particles with more low-coordinated Au atoms than flat surfaces are favorable for CC hydrogenation, which is in agreement with experimental result.

  20. Ternary reduced-graphene-oxide/Bi2MoO6/Au nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bi, Jinhong; Fang, Wei; Li, Li; Li, Xiaofen; Liu, Minghua; Liang, Shijing; Zhang, Zizhong; He, Yunhui; Lin, Huaxiang; Wu, Ling; Liu, Shengwei; Wong, Po Keung

    2015-01-01

    A novel ternary nanocomposite photocatalyst consisted of reduced-graphene-oxide (RGO), Bi 2 MoO 6 and plasmonic Au nanoparticles were successfully fabricated by multiple steps including a simple solvothermal process and photochemical reduction process. RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 /Au was characterized by X-ray powder diffraction patterns, transmission electron microscopy, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In comparison with Bi 2 MoO 6 , RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 and Au/Bi 2 MoO 6 , RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 /Au exhibits an enhanced photocatalytic activity for decomposition of Rhodamine B under visible light. The separation efficiency of the photogenerated holes and electrons on Bi 2 MoO 6 is promoted by the combined effect of both RGO and Au in the ternary composite, and thus enhances photocatalytic activity. The scavenger study revealed that both hole and superoxide are the major reactive species for the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B using RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 /Au photocatalyst. - Graphical abstract: A novel ternary nanocomposite photocatalyst consisted of reduced-graphene-oxide (RGO), Bi 2 MoO 6 and plasmonic Au nanoparticles were successfully fabricated by multiple steps including a simple solvothermal process and photochemical reduction process. The resulted ternary nanocomposites greatly enhanced the visible light photocatalytic properties compared to Bi 2 MoO 6 , RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 or Au/Bi 2 MoO 6 binary systems. The improved photocatalytic activity was mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of Au and RGO with better separation of the photogenerated holes and electrons, resulting from the surface plasmonic resonance and extra strong electron magnetic field of Au nanoparticles and the high electron conductivity of RGO. - Highlights: • The ternary nanocomposites RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 /Au were constructed for the first time. • RGO/Bi 2 MoO 6 /Au showed much higher visible photoactivity than RGO (Au)/Bi 2 MoO 6 . • The improved

  1. Enhancement of the thermo-optical response of silver nanoparticles due to surface plasmon resonance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemi Zadeh, Sakineh; Rashidi-Huyeh, Majid; Palpant, Bruno

    2017-10-01

    Owing to their remarkable optical properties, noble metals' nanoparticles are proposed for many applications. Controlling the temperature dependence of these properties may then appear to be of great relevance. In this paper, we investigate the thermo-optical properties of silver nanoparticles. Different silver nanocolloids were prepared with different surface plasmon resonance modes. The thermo-extinction spectra of the colloidal solutions were then evaluated by measuring the extinction spectra at different temperatures. This reveals a typical peak-valley profile around each surface plasmon resonance mode. Mie theory was used to study theoretically the impact of nanoparticle size on the thermo-optical properties. The results allow us to interpret properly the experimental findings.

  2. In situ Raman scattering study on a controllable plasmon-driven surface catalysis reaction on Ag nanoparticle arrays

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dai, Z G; Xiao, X H; Zhang, Y P; Ren, F; Wu, W; Zhang, S F; Zhou, J; Jiang, C Z; Mei, F

    2012-01-01

    Control of the plasmon-driven chemical reaction for the transformation of 4-nitrobenzenethiol to p,p′-dimercaptoazobenzene by Ag nanoparticle arrays was studied. The Ag nanoparticle arrays were fabricated by means of nanosphere lithography. By changing the PS particle size, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) peaks of the Ag nanoparticle arrays can be tailored from 460 to 560 nm. The controlled reaction process was monitored by in situ surface-enhanced Raman scattering. The reaction can be dramatically influenced by varying the duration of laser exposure, Ag nanoparticle size, laser power and laser excitation wavelength. The maximum reaction speed was achieved when the LSPR wavelength of the Ag nanoparticle arrays matched the laser excitation wavelength. The experimental results reveal that the strong LSPR can effectively drive the transfer of the ‘hot’ electrons that decay from the plasmon to the reactants. The experimental results were confirmed by theoretical calculations. (paper)

  3. Effect of surface roughness on substrate-tuned gold nanoparticle gap plasmon resonances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lumdee, Chatdanai; Yun, Binfeng; Kik, Pieter G

    2015-03-07

    The effect of nanoscale surface roughness on the gap plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles on thermally evaporated gold films is investigated experimentally and numerically. Single-particle scattering spectra obtained from 80 nm diameter gold particles on a gold film show significant particle-to-particle variation of the peak scattering wavelength of ±28 nm. The experimental results are compared with numerical simulations of gold nanoparticles positioned on representative rough gold surfaces, modeled based on atomic force microscopy measurements. The predicted spectral variation and average resonance wavelength show good agreement with the measured data. The study shows that nanometer scale surface roughness can significantly affect the performance of gap plasmon-based devices.

  4. Nonlocal inhomogeneous broadening in plasmonic nanoparticle ensembles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tserkezis, Christos; Maack, Johan Rosenkrantz; Liu, Z.

    Nonclassical effects are increasingly more relevant in plasmonics as modern nanofabrication techniques rapidly approach the extreme nanoscale limits, for which departing from classical electrodynamics becomes important. One of the largest-scale necessary corrections towards this direction...... is to abandon the local response approximation (LRA) and take the nonlocal response of the metal into account, typically through the simple hydrodynamic Drude model (HDM), which predicts a sizedependent deviation of plasmon modes from the quasistatic (QS) limit. While this behaviour has been explored for simple...... metallic nanoparticles (NPs) or NP dimers, the possibility of inhomogeneous resonance broadening due to size variation in a large NP collection and the resulting spectral overlap of modes (as depicted in Fig. 1), has been so far overlooked. Here we study theoretically the effect of nonlocality on ensemble...

  5. Enhanced and tunable optical quantum efficiencies from plasmon bandwidth engineering in bimetallic CoAg nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Malasi

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Plasmonic nanoparticles are amongst the most effective ways to resonantly couple optical energy into and out of nanometer sized volumes. However, controlling and/or tuning the transfer of this incident energy to the surrounding near and far field is one of the most interesting challenges in this area. Due to the dielectric properties of metallic silver (Ag, its nanoparticles have amongst the highest radiative quantum efficiencies (η, i.e., the ability to radiatively transfer the incident energy to the surrounding. Here we report the discovery that bimetallic nanoparticles of Ag made with immiscible and plasmonically weak Co metal can show comparable and/or even higher η values. The enhancement is a result of the narrowing of the plasmon bandwidth from these bimetal systems. The phenomenological explanation of this effect based on the dipolar approximation points to the reduction in radiative losses within the Ag nanoparticles when in contact with cobalt. This is also supported by a model of coupling between poor and good conductors based on the surface to volume ratio. This study presents a new type of bandwidth engineering, one based on using bimetal nanostructures, to tune and/or enhance the quality factor and quantum efficiency for near and far-field plasmonic applications.

  6. Plasmonic Organic Photovoltaics: Unraveling Plasmonic Enhancement for Realistic Cell Geometries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beliatis, Michail

    2018-01-01

    Incorporating plasmonic nanoparticles in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices can increase the optical thickness of the organic absorber layer while keeping its physical thickness small. However, trade-offs between various structure parameters have caused contradictions regarding the effectiveness...... of plasmonics in the literature, that have somewhat stunted the progressing of a unified theoretical understanding for practical applications. We examine the optical enhancement mechanisms of practical PCDTBT:PC70BM OPV cells incorporating metal nanoparticles. The plasmonic near- and far-field contributions...... show that an already optimized PCDTBT:PC70BM cell can be further optically enhanced by plasmonic effects by at least 20% with the incorporation of Ag nanoparticles....

  7. 3D plasmonic transducer based on gold nanoparticles produced by laser ablation on silica nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gontad, F.; Caricato, A. P.; Manera, M. G.; Colombelli, A.; Resta, V.; Taurino, A.; Cesaria, M.; Leo, C.; Convertino, A.; Klini, A.; Perrone, A.; Rella, R.; Martino, M.

    2016-05-01

    Silica two-dimensional substrates and nanowires (NWs) forests have been successfully decorated with Au nanoparticles (NPs) through laser ablation by using a pulsed ArF excimer laser, for sensor applications. A uniform coverage of both substrate surfaces with NPs has been achieved controlling the number of laser pulses. The annealing of the as-deposited particles resulted in a uniform well-defined distribution of spherical NPs with an increased average diameter up to 25 nm. The deposited samples on silica NWs forest present a very good plasmonic resonance which resulted to be very sensitive to the changes of the environment (ethanol/water solutions with increasing concentration of ethanol) allowing the detection of changes on the second decimal digit of the refractive index, demonstrating its potentiality for further biosensing functionalities.

  8. Amino-acid- and peptide-directed synthesis of chiral plasmonic gold nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hye-Eun; Ahn, Hyo-Yong; Mun, Jungho; Lee, Yoon Young; Kim, Minkyung; Cho, Nam Heon; Chang, Kiseok; Kim, Wook Sung; Rho, Junsuk; Nam, Ki Tae

    2018-04-01

    Understanding chirality, or handedness, in molecules is important because of the enantioselectivity that is observed in many biochemical reactions 1 , and because of the recent development of chiral metamaterials with exceptional light-manipulating capabilities, such as polarization control 2-4 , a negative refractive index 5 and chiral sensing 6 . Chiral nanostructures have been produced using nanofabrication techniques such as lithography 7 and molecular self-assembly 8-11 , but large-scale and simple fabrication methods for three-dimensional chiral structures remain a challenge. In this regard, chirality transfer represents a simpler and more efficient method for controlling chiral morphology 12-18 . Although a few studies 18,19 have described the transfer of molecular chirality into micrometre-sized helical ceramic crystals, this technique has yet to be implemented for metal nanoparticles with sizes of hundreds of nanometres. Here we develop a strategy for synthesizing chiral gold nanoparticles that involves using amino acids and peptides to control the optical activity, handedness and chiral plasmonic resonance of the nanoparticles. The key requirement for achieving such chiral structures is the formation of high-Miller-index surfaces ({hkl}, h ≠ k ≠ l ≠ 0) that are intrinsically chiral, owing to the presence of 'kink' sites 20-22 in the nanoparticles during growth. The presence of chiral components at the inorganic surface of the nanoparticles and in the amino acids and peptides results in enantioselective interactions at the interface between these elements; these interactions lead to asymmetric evolution of the nanoparticles and the formation of helicoid morphologies that consist of highly twisted chiral elements. The gold nanoparticles that we grow display strong chiral plasmonic optical activity (a dis-symmetry factor of 0.2), even when dispersed randomly in solution; this observation is supported by theoretical calculations and direct

  9. The point-defect of carbon nanotubes anchoring Au nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lv, Y. A.; Cui, Y. H.; Li, X. N.

    2010-01-01

    The understanding of the interaction between Au and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is very important since Au/CNTs composites have wide applications in many fields. In this study, we investigated the dispersion of Au nanoparticles on the CNTs by transmission electron microscopy and the bonding mechanism...

  10. Au/ZnO nanocomposites: Facile fabrication and enhanced photocatalytic activity for degradation of benzene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Hang; Ming, Hai; Zhang, Hengchao; Li, Haitao; Pan, Keming; Liu, Yang; Wang, Fang; Gong, Jingjing; Kang, Zhenhui

    2012-01-01

    Au nanoparticles supported on highly uniform one-dimensional ZnO nanowires (Au/ZnO hybrids) have been successfully fabricated through a simple wet chemical method, which were first used for photodegradation of gas-phase benzene. Compared with bare ZnO nanowires, the as-prepared Au/ZnO hybrids were found to possess higher photocatalytic activity for degradation of benzene under UV and visible light (degradation efficiencies reach about 56.0% and 33.7% after 24 h under UV and visible light irradiation, respectively). Depending on excitation happening on ZnO semiconductor or on the surface plasmon band of Au, the efficiency and operating mechanism are different. Under UV light irradiation, Au nanoparticles serve as an electron buffer and ZnO nanowires act as the reactive sites for benzene degradation. When visible light is used as the light irradiation source, Au nanoparticles act as the light harvesters and photocatalytic sites alongside of charge-transfer process, simultaneously. -- Graphical abstract: Under visible light irradiation, Au nanoparticles, which are supported on ZnO nanowires, dominate their catalytic properties in gas-phase degradation benzene reaction. Highlights: ► The composites that Au nanoparticles supported on ZnO nanowires were synthesized. ► Au/ZnO composites were firstly used as effective photocatalysts for benzene degradation. ► Two operating mechanisms were proposed depending on excitation wavelength.

  11. Raman spectra of Au nanoparticles in polycrystalline LiF film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurbatova, N.V.; Galyautdinov, M.F.; Stepanov, A.L.; Ivanov, N.A.; Kolesnikov, S.S.; Papernyj, V.L.

    2011-01-01

    The modification of the size of gold nanoparticles in LiF matrix during laser annealing was studied fort he first time by Raman spectroscopy. Laser annealing was carried out at the wavelength of the plasmon absorption of gold nanoparticles. The experimental spectra were compared with the calculated modes of in-phase bending vibrations in nanoparticles. The observed effects were discussed from the standpoint of the size quantization of acoustic vibrations in nanostructures. (authors)

  12. Thickness-Dependent Strain Effect on the Deformation of the Graphene-Encapsulated Au Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuangli Ye

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The strain effect on graphene-encapsulated Au nanoparticles is investigated. A finite-element calculation is performed to simulate the strain distribution and morphology of the monolayer and multilayer graphene-encapsulated Au nanoparticles, respectively. It can be found that the inhomogeneous strain and deformation are enhanced with the increasing shrinkage of the graphene shell. Moreover, the strain distribution and deformation are very sensitive to the layer number of the graphene shell. Especially, the inhomogeneous strain at the interface between the graphene shell and encapsulated Au nanoparticles is strongly tuned by the graphene thickness. For the mono- and bilayer graphene-encapsulated Au nanoparticles, the dramatic shape transformation can be observed. However, with increasing the graphene thickness further, there is hardly deformation for the encapsulated Au nanoparticles. These simulated results indicate that the strain and deformation can be designed by the graphene layer thickness, which provides an opportunity to engineer the structure and morphology of the graphene-encapsulated nanoparticles.

  13. Strain Distribution of Au and Ag Nanoparticles Embedded in Al2O3 Thin Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honghua Huang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Au and Ag nanoparticles embedded in amorphous Al2O3 matrix are fabricated by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD method and rapid thermal annealing (RTA technique, which are confirmed by the experimental high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM results, respectively. The strain distribution of Au and Ag nanoparticles embedded in the Al2O3 matrix is investigated by the finite-element (FE calculations. The simulation results clearly indicate that both the Au and Ag nanoparticles incur compressive strain by the Al2O3 matrix. However, the compressive strain existing on the Au nanoparticle is much weaker than that on the Ag nanoparticle. This phenomenon can be attributed to the reason that Young’s modulus of Au is larger than that of Ag. This different strain distribution of Au and Ag nanoparticles in the same host matrix may have a significant influence on the technological potential applications of the Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles.

  14. Relative humidity sensor based on surface plasmon resonance of D-shaped fiber with polyvinyl alcohol embedding Au grating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Haitao; Han, Daofu; Li, Ming; Lin, Bo

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of a D-shaped fiber coated with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) embedding an Au grating-based relative humidity (RH) sensor. The Au grating is fabricated on a D-shaped fiber to match the wave-vector and excite the surface plasmon, and the PVA is embedded in the Au grating as a sensitive cladding film. The refractive index of PVA changes with the ambient humidity. Measurements in a controlled environment show that the RH sensor can achieve a sensitivity of 5.4 nm per relative humidity unit in the RH range from 0% to 70% RH. Moreover, the surface plasmon resonance can be realized and used for RH sensing at the C band of optical fiber communication instead of the visible light band due to the metallic grating microstructure on the D-shaped fiber.

  15. Blueshift of the silver plasmon band using controlled nanoparticle dissolution in aqueous solution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mogensen, Klaus Bo; Kneipp, Katrin

    2014-01-01

    In this work, we report the size-dependent blue shift of the silver nanoparticle plasmon band in aqueous solution by means of UV/VIS spectroscopy. An oxidative dissolution scheme allows a gradual decrease in the particle sizes by controlled oxidation during recording of the optical spectra. Hence......-dependence of the plasmon peak energy is seen, which is interpreted as an increase in the free electron density of the nanoparticles. Utilization of the size-dependent electronic contribution to the optical response in nanoplasmonic sensors is shown to be a promising extension to improve the sensitivity and specificity...

  16. Metal nanoparticles triggered persistent negative photoconductivity in silk protein hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gogurla, Narendar; Sinha, Arun K.; Naskar, Deboki; Kundu, Subhas C.; Ray, Samit K.

    2016-03-01

    Silk protein is a natural biopolymer with intriguing properties, which are attractive for next generation bio-integrated electronic and photonic devices. Here, we demonstrate the negative photoconductive response of Bombyx mori silk protein fibroin hydrogels, triggered by Au nanoparticles. The room temperature electrical conductivity of Au-silk hydrogels is found to be enhanced with the incorporation of Au nanoparticles over the control sample, due to the increased charge transporting networks within the hydrogel. Au-silk lateral photoconductor devices show a unique negative photoconductive response under an illumination of 325 nm, with excitation energy higher than the characteristic metal plasmon resonance band. The enhanced photoconductance yield in the hydrogels over the silk protein is attributed to the photo-oxidation of amino groups in the β-pleated sheets of the silk around the Au nanoparticles followed by the breaking of charge transport networks. The Au-silk nanocomposite does not show any photoresponse under visible illumination because of the localization of excited charges in Au nanoparticles. The negative photoconductive response of hybrid Au-silk under UV illumination may pave the way towards the utilization of silk for future bio-photonic devices using metal nanoparticle platforms.

  17. Color-tunable up-conversion emission of luminescent-plasmonic, core/shell nanomaterials – KY{sub 3}F{sub 10}:Yb{sup 3+},Tm{sup 3+}/SiO{sub 2}-NH{sub 2}/Au

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Runowski, Marcin, E-mail: runowski@amu.edu.pl

    2017-06-15

    Multifunctional luminescent-plasmonic KY{sub 3}F{sub 10}:Yb{sup 3+},Tm{sup 3+}/SiO{sub 2}-NH{sub 2}/Au nanomaterials were successfully obtained. The lanthanide-doped fluoride nanoparticles (NPs), synthesized under hydrothermal conditions exhibited bright blue up-conversion luminescence (λ{sub ex}=980 nm). Such lanthanide nanocrystals (20–40 nm) were coated with amine modified silica shell, forming core/shell nanostructures. Their surface was further uniformly covered with ultra-small gold NPs (4–7 nm). The as-prepared luminescent-plasmonic core/shell nanomaterials exhibited tunable up-conversion emission, due to the interactions between plasmonic and luminescent phases. The emission of Tm{sup 3+} ion was affected by the surface Au NPs, which exhibited strong plasmonic absorption in the visible range (450–650 nm). The increasing amount of the surface Au NPs, led to the significant alterations in a ratio of the Tm{sup 3+} emission bands. The NIR band ({sup 3}H{sub 4}→{sup 3}H{sub 6}) was unchanged, whereas the ratio and relative intensity of the bands in a visible range ({sup 1}G{sub 4}→{sup 3}H{sub 6} and {sup 1}G{sub 4}→{sup 3}F{sub 4}) was altered. This led to the significant change of the emission spectra shape and influenced color of emission, tuning it from bright blue to blue-violet. The products obtained were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and luminescence spectroscopy (excitation/emission spectra and luminescence decay curves).

  18. Influence of Silver and Gold Nanoparticles and Thin Layers on Charge Carrier Generation in InGaN/GaN Multiple Quantum Well Structures and Crystalline Zinc Oxide Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mezdrogina, M. M.; Vinogradov, A. Ya.; Kozhanova, Yu. V.; Levitskii, V. S.

    2018-04-01

    It has been shown that Ag and Au nanoparticles and thin layers influence charge carrier generation in InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well structures and crystalline ZnO films owing to the surface morphology heterogeneity of the semiconductors. When nanoparticles 10 films, the radiation intensity has turned out to grow considerably because of a plasmon resonance with the participation of localized plasmons. The application of Ag or Au layers on the surface of the structures strongly attenuates the radiation. When Ag and Au nanoparticles are applied on crystalline ZnO films obtained by rf magnetron sputtering, the radiation intensity in the short-wavelength part of the spectrum increases insignificantly because of their highly heterogeneous surface morphology.

  19. Copper plasmonics and catalysis: role of electron-phonon interactions in dephasing localized surface plasmons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Qi-C.; Ding, Yuchen; Goodman, Samuel M.; H. Funke, Hans; Nagpal, Prashant

    2014-10-01

    Copper metal can provide an important alternative for the development of efficient, low-cost and low-loss plasmonic nanoparticles, and selective nanocatalysts. However, poor chemical stability and lack of insight into photophysics and plasmon decay mechanisms has impeded study. Here, we use smooth conformal ALD coating on copper nanoparticles to prevent surface oxidation, and study dephasing time for localized surface plasmons on different sized copper nanoparticles. Using dephasing time as a figure of merit, we elucidate the role of electron-electron, electron-phonon, impurity, surface and grain boundary scattering on the decay of localized surface plasmon waves. Using our quantitative analysis and different temperature dependent measurements, we show that electron-phonon interactions dominate over other scattering mechanisms in dephasing plasmon waves. While interband transitions in copper metal contributes substantially to plasmon losses, tuning surface plasmon modes to infrared frequencies leads to a five-fold enhancement in the quality factor. These findings demonstrate that conformal ALD coatings can improve the chemical stability for copper nanoparticles, even at high temperatures (>300 °C) in ambient atmosphere, and nanoscaled copper is a good alternative material for many potential applications in nanophotonics, plasmonics, catalysis and nanoscale electronics.Copper metal can provide an important alternative for the development of efficient, low-cost and low-loss plasmonic nanoparticles, and selective nanocatalysts. However, poor chemical stability and lack of insight into photophysics and plasmon decay mechanisms has impeded study. Here, we use smooth conformal ALD coating on copper nanoparticles to prevent surface oxidation, and study dephasing time for localized surface plasmons on different sized copper nanoparticles. Using dephasing time as a figure of merit, we elucidate the role of electron-electron, electron-phonon, impurity, surface and grain

  20. Optical manipulation and catalytic activity enhanced by surface plasmon effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Ningmu; Min, Jiang; Jiao, Wenxiang; Wang, Guanghui

    2017-02-01

    For optical manipulation, a nano-optical conveyor belt consisting of an array of gold plasmonic non-concentric nano-rings (PNNRs) is demonstrated for the realization of trapping and unidirectional transportation of nanoparticles by polarization rotation of excitation beam. These hot spots of an asymmetric plasmonic nanostructure are polarization dependent, therefore, one can use the incident polarization state to manipulate the trapped targets. Trapped particles could be transferred between adjacent PNNRs in a given direction just by rotating the polarization of incident beam due to unbalanced potential. The angular dependent distribution of electric field around PNNR has been solved using the three- dimensional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique. For optical enhanced catalytic activity, the spectral properties of dimers of Au nanorod-Au nanorod nanostructures under the excitation of 532nm photons have been investigated. With a super-resolution catalytic mapping technique, we identified the existence of "hot spot" in terms of catalytic reactivity at the gap region within the twined plasmonic nanostructure. Also, FDTD calculation has revealed an intrinsic correlation between hot electron transfer.

  1. Exciton-plasmon quantum metastates: self-induced oscillations of plasmon fields in the absence of decoherence in nanoparticle molecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sadeghi, S. M., E-mail: seyed.sadeghi@uah.edu [University of Alabama in Huntsville, Department of Physics and Nano and Mirco Device Center (United States)

    2016-02-15

    We investigate formation of unique quantum states (metastates) in quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle systems via self-induced coherent dynamics generated by interaction of these systems with a visible and an infrared laser fields. In such metastates, the quantum decoherence rates of the quantum dots can become zero and even negative while they start to rapidly change with time. Under these conditions, the energy dissipation rates and plasmon fields of the nanoparticle systems undergo undamped oscillations with gigahertz frequency, while the amplitudes of both visible and the infrared laser fields are considered to be time-independent. These dynamics also lead to variation of the plasmon absorption of the metallic nanoparticles between high and nearly zero values, forming electromagnetically induced transparency oscillations. We show that under these conditions, the effective transition energies and broadening of the quantum dots undergo oscillatory dynamics, highlighting the unique aspects of the metastates. These results extend the horizon for investigation of light-matter interaction in the presence of zero or negative polarization dephasing rates with strong time dependency.

  2. Au nanoparticles films used in biological sensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosales Perez, M; Delgado Macuil, R; Rojas Lopez, M; Gayou, V L; Sanchez Ramirez, J F

    2009-01-01

    Lactobacillus para paracasei are used commonly as functional food and probiotic substances. In this work Au nanoparticles self-assembled films were used for Lactobacillus para paracasei determination at five different concentrations. Functionalized substrates were immersed in a colloidal solution for one and a half hour at room temperature and dried at room temperature during four hours. After that, drops of Lactobacillus para paracasei in aqueous solution were put into the Au nanoparticles film and let dry at room temperature for another two hours. Infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance sampling mode was used to observe generation peaks due to substrate silanization, enhancement of Si-O band intensity due to the Au colloids added to silanized substrate and also to observe the enhancement of Lactobacillus para paracasei infrared intensity of the characteristic frequencies at 1650, 1534 and 1450 cm -1 due to surface enhancement infrared absorption.

  3. Au nanoparticles films used in biological sensing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosales Perez, M; Delgado Macuil, R; Rojas Lopez, M; Gayou, V L [Centro de Investigacion en BiotecnologIa Aplicada del IPN, Tepetitla Tlaxcala Mexico C.P. 90700 (Mexico); Sanchez Ramirez, J F, E-mail: mrosalespe@ipn.m [CICATA Legaria Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Mexico Distrito Federal (Mexico)

    2009-05-01

    Lactobacillus para paracasei are used commonly as functional food and probiotic substances. In this work Au nanoparticles self-assembled films were used for Lactobacillus para paracasei determination at five different concentrations. Functionalized substrates were immersed in a colloidal solution for one and a half hour at room temperature and dried at room temperature during four hours. After that, drops of Lactobacillus para paracasei in aqueous solution were put into the Au nanoparticles film and let dry at room temperature for another two hours. Infrared spectroscopy in attenuated total reflectance sampling mode was used to observe generation peaks due to substrate silanization, enhancement of Si-O band intensity due to the Au colloids added to silanized substrate and also to observe the enhancement of Lactobacillus para paracasei infrared intensity of the characteristic frequencies at 1650, 1534 and 1450 cm{sup -1} due to surface enhancement infrared absorption.

  4. Structure and Plasmonic Properties of Thin PMMA Layers with Ion-Synthesized Ag Nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Popok, Vladimir; Hanif, Muhammad; Mackova, Anna

    2015-01-01

    nanoparticles above the surface. The synthesized nanoparticles can be split into two groups: (i) located at the surface and (ii) fully embedded in the shallow layer. These two groups provide corresponding spectral bands related to localized surface plasmon resonance. The bands demonstrate considerable intensity...

  5. Dual structural transition in small nanoparticles of Cu-Au alloy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gafner, Yuri; Gafner, Svetlana; Redel, Larisa; Zamulin, Ivan

    2018-02-01

    Cu-Au alloy nanoparticles are known to be widely used in the catalysis of various chemical reactions as it was experimentally defined that in many cases the partial substitution of copper with gold increases catalytic activity. However, providing the reaction capacity of alloy nanoparticles the surface electronic structure strongly depends on their atomic ordering. Therefore, to theoretically determine catalytic properties, one needs to use a most real structural model complying with Cu-Au nanoparticles under various external influences. So, thermal stability limits were studied for the initial L12 phase in Cu3Au nanoalloy clusters up to 8.0 nm and Cu-Au clusters up to 3.0 nm at various degrees of Au atom concentration, with molecular dynamics method using a modified tight-binding TB-SMA potential. Dual structural transition L12 → FCC and further FCC → Ih is shown to be possible under the thermal factor in Cu3Au and Cu-Au clusters with the diameter up to 3.0 nm. The temperature of the structural transition FCC → Ih is established to decrease for small particles of Cu-Au alloy under the increase of Au atom concentration. For clusters with this structural transition, the melting point is found to be a linear increasing function of concentration, and for clusters without FCC → Ih structural transition, the melting point is a linear decreasing function of Au content. Thus, the article shows that doping Cu nanoclusters with Au atoms allows to control the forming structure as well as the melting point.

  6. Uniform formation of Au coated polystyrene core-shell structure using metallization process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Kyoungseob; Koo, Jonghyun; Roh, Yonghan, E-mail: yhroh@skku.edu

    2011-08-01

    There are several methods for the fabrication of core-shell particles, including chemical reduction and self-assembly. In this study, the chemical reduction method was used to fabricate 100 nm, Au-coated polystyrene nanoparticles. The formation of the gold layer was based on the increase of gold coverage by the reaction with aniline and HAuCl{sub 4}. This method allowed for efficient control of the gold coverage and led to relatively stable products. The formation of Au clusters on the surface of the 100 nm polystyrene beads was characterized by scanning electron microscope and high resolution tunneling electron microscope. As a result, the Au-coated nanoparticles can be used in various applications such as surface plasmon resonators, drug delivery systems and electronic optical devices.

  7. Surface plasmon enhancement in gold nanoparticles in the presence of an optical gain medium: an analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sathiyamoorthy, K; Sreekanth, K V; Sidharthan, R; Murukeshan, V M [School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Xing Bengang, E-mail: mmurukeshan@ntu.edu.sg [Division of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 21 Nanyang Link, Singapore 637371 (Singapore)

    2011-10-26

    The localized surface plasmon (LSP) enhancement in a gold nanoparticle is demonstrated in this paper. The enhancement of LSP is influenced by both size and the dielectric gain medium surrounding the nanoparticles. The nanoparticle is found to induce plasmonic enhancement of varying degrees depending on its size, and it is inferred that a gold nanoparticle of size 60 nm exhibits the maximum LSP for 532 nm excitation. Singularity due to cancellation of SP loss by an infinite gain medium and LSP enhancement are studied using a pump-probe Rayleigh scattering experiment. Gold nanoparticles of average size 60 nm exhibit the lowest threshold power to observe Rayleigh scattering. Furthermore, compared with the bare nanoparticles, a 12.5 fold enhancement of LSP is observed when the nanoparticle of average size 60 nm is kept in the gain medium.

  8. Fabrication and characterization of Au dimer antennas on glass pillars with enhanced plasmonic response

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sadeghi, Pedram; Wu, Kaiyu; Rindzevicius, Tomas

    2017-01-01

    We report on the fabrication and dark-field spectroscopy characterization of Au dimer nanoantennas placed on top of SiO2 nanopillars. The reported process enables the fabrication of nanopillar dimers with gaps down to 15 nm and heights up to 1 μm. A clear dependence of the plasmonic resonance...

  9. Enhancement of Y123 dye-sensitized solar cell performance using plasmonic gold nanorods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandrasekhar, P S; Parashar, Piyush K; Swami, Sanjay Kumar; Dutta, Viresh; Komarala, Vamsi K

    2018-04-04

    The role of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of gold nanorods (Au NRs) on the performance of Y123 dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) was investigated. DSSCs were fabricated by incorporating different concentrations (0.6 to 3.0 wt%) of Au NRs into TiO2 photoanodes. With an increase in the concentration of the Au NRs, the light absorption by the Y123 dye loaded photoanodes enhanced linearly, but the charge extraction was susceptible to the concentration of the Au NRs. With optimized concentrations (∼1.8 wt%) of the Au NRs, the photocurrent of the DSSC enhanced from 12.45 to 15.74 mA cm-2, and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) improved from 5.31 to 8.86%. The DSSC performance was also verified using Au nanoparticles (the PCE was enhanced from 5.31 to 7.72%) for comparison with the Au NR DSSC performance, which demonstrated the advantage of the Au NRs' shape effect with longitudinal SPR due to the modified light interaction. To explain the experimental observations of the plasmonic DSSC, the Au NRs' extinction efficiency and spatial distribution of the near-fields in complete and porous TiO2 media were also estimated using the finite-element method.

  10. An optimized surface plasmon photovoltaic structure using energy transfer between discrete nano-particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Albert; Fu, Sze-Ming; Chung, Yen-Kai; Lai, Shih-Yun; Tseng, Chi-Wei

    2013-01-14

    Surface plasmon enhancement has been proposed as a way to achieve higher absorption for thin-film photovoltaics, where surface plasmon polariton(SPP) and localized surface plasmon (LSP) are shown to provide dense near field and far field light scattering. Here it is shown that controlled far-field light scattering can be achieved using successive coupling between surface plasmonic (SP) nano-particles. Through genetic algorithm (GA) optimization, energy transfer between discrete nano-particles (ETDNP) is identified, which enhances solar cell efficiency. The optimized energy transfer structure acts like lumped-element transmission line and can properly alter the direction of photon flow. Increased in-plane component of wavevector is thus achieved and photon path length is extended. In addition, Wood-Rayleigh anomaly, at which transmission minimum occurs, is avoided through GA optimization. Optimized energy transfer structure provides 46.95% improvement over baseline planar cell. It achieves larger angular scattering capability compared to conventional surface plasmon polariton back reflector structure and index-guided structure due to SP energy transfer through mode coupling. Via SP mediated energy transfer, an alternative way to control the light flow inside thin-film is proposed, which can be more efficient than conventional index-guided mode using total internal reflection (TIR).

  11. Performance Improvement of Polymer Solar Cells by Surface-Energy-Induced Dual Plasmon Resonance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Mengnan; Shen, Ping; Liu, Yan; Chen, Boyuan; Guo, Wenbin; Ruan, Shengping; Shen, Liang

    2016-03-09

    The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) is effectively applied on polymer solar cells (PSCs) to improve power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, universality of the reported results mainly focused on utilizing single type of MNPs to enhance light absorption only in specific narrow wavelength range. Herein, a surface-energy-induced dual MNP plasmon resonance by thermally evaporating method was presented to achieve the absorption enhancement in wider range. The differences of surface energy between silver (Ag), gold (Au), and tungsten trioxide (WO3) compared by contact angle images enable Ag and Au prefer to respectively aggregate into isolated islands rather than films at the initial stage of the evaporation process, which was clearly demonstrated in the atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement. The sum of plasmon-enhanced wavelength range induced by both Ag NPs (350-450 nm) and Au NPs (450-600 nm) almost cover the whole absorption spectra of active layers, which compatibly contribute a significant efficiency improvement from 4.57 ± 0.16 to 6.55 ± 0.12% compared to the one without MNPs. Besides, steady state photoluminescence (PL) measurements provide strong evidence that the SPR induced by the Ag-Au NPs increase the intensity of light absorption. Finally, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) reveals that doping Au and Ag causes upper shift of both the work function and valence band of WO3, which is directly related to hole collection ability. We believe the surface-energy-induced dual plasmon resonance enhancement by simple thermally evaporating technique might pave the way toward higher-efficiency PSCs.

  12. Synthesis and characterization of hollow magnetic nanospheres modified with Au nanoparticles for bio-encapsulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seisno, Satoshi, E-mail: seino@mit.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp; Suga, Kent; Nakagawa, Takashi; Yamamoto, Takao A.

    2017-04-01

    Hollow magnetic nanospheres modified with Au nanoparticles were successfully synthesized. Au/SiO{sub 2} nanospheres fabricated by a radiochemical process were used as templates for ferrite templating. After the ferrite plating process, Au/SiO{sub 2} templates were fully coated with magnetite nanoparticles. Dissolution of the SiO{sub 2} core lead to the formation of hollow magnetic nanospheres with Au nanoparticles inside. The hollow magnetic nanospheres consisted of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} grains, with an average diameter of 60 nm, connected to form the sphere wall, inside which Au grains with an average diameter of 7.2 nm were encapsulated. The Au nanoparticles immobilized on the SiO{sub 2} templates contributed to the adsorption of the Fe ion precursor and/or Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} seeds. These hollow magnetic nanospheres are proposed as a new type of nanocarrier, as the Au grains could specifically immobilize biomolecules inside the hollow sphere. - Highlights: • A procedure to synthesize hollow magnetic nanospheres with Au inside was reported. • The Au nanoparticles inside the hollow showed high Au-S binding affinity. • The nanospheres are expected to be suitable as a new magnetic carrier for DDS.

  13. EDITORIAL: Plasmas and plasmons: links in nanosilver Plasmas and plasmons: links in nanosilver

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demming, Anna

    2013-03-01

    relationship between plasma electrochemical synthesis and the plasmonic properties of nanoparticles have been limited until now. Yet Kostya Ostrikov and colleagues place particular emphasis on the potential of research at 'the intersection of reactive plasma chemistry and plasmonics'. While navigating the maze of intertwining disciplines that feed into nanotechnology research can be daunting, as this research highlights, great insights and advances may be gained where the different strands of research connect. References [1] Huang X Z, Zhong X X, Lu Y, Li Y S, Rider A E, Furman S A and Ostrikov K 2013 Plasmonic Ag nanoparticles via environment-benign atmospheric microplasma electrochemistry Nanotechnology 24 095604 [2] Sun Y and Xia Y 2002 Shape-controlled synthesis of gold and silver nanoparticles Science 298 2176-9 [3] Hulteen J C, Treichel D A, Smith M T, Duval M L, Jensen T R and Van Duyne R P 1999 Nanosphere lithography: size-tunable silver nanoparticle and surface cluster arrays J. Phys. Chem. B 103 3854-63 [4] Huang J et al 2007 Biosynthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles by novel sundried Cinnamomum camphora leaf Nanotechnology 18 105104 [5] Ma K, Cui Q, Liu G, Wu F, Xu S and Shao Y 2011 DNA abasic site-directed formation of fluorescent silver nanoclusters for selective nucleobase recognition Nanotechnology 22 305502 [6] Ali M E, Hashim U, Mustafa S, Che Man Y B, Yusop M H M, Bari M F, Islam Kh N and Hasan M F 2011 Nanoparticle sensor for label free detection of swine DNA in mixed biological samples Nanotechnology 22 195503 [7] Berini P, Olivieri A and Chen C 2012 Thin Au surface plasmon waveguide Schottky detectors on p-Si Nanotechnology 23 444011 [8] Reilly T H III, Van De Lagemaat J, Tenent R C, Morfa A J and Rowlen K L 2008 Surface-plasmon enhanced transparent electrodes in organic photovoltaics Appl. Phys. Lett. 92 243304 [9] Bialiayeu A, Bottomley A, Prezgot D, Ianoul A and Albert J 2012 Plasmon-enhanced refractometry using silver nanowire coatings on tilted

  14. The fabrication of nanopatterns with Au nanoparticles-embedded micelles via nanoimprint lithography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Jung-Pil; Kim, Eun-Uk; Koh, Haeng-Deog; Kang, Nam-Goo; Jung, Gun-Young; Lee, Jae-Suk, E-mail: gyjung@gist.ac.k, E-mail: jslee@gist.ac.k [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), 261 Cheomdan-gwagiro (Oryong-dong), Buk-gu Gwangju 500-712 (Korea, Republic of)

    2009-09-09

    We fabricated nanopatterns with Au nanoparticles-embedded micelles (Au-micelles) by self-assembly of block copolymers via nanoimprint lithography. The micelle structure prepared by self-assembled block copolymers was used as a template for the synthesis of Au nanoparticles (Au NPs). Au NPs were synthesized in situ inside the micelles of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS- b-P2VP). Au-micelles were arranged on the trenches of the polymer template, which was imprinted by nanoimprint lithography. The fabrication of line-type and dot-type nanopatterns was carried out by the combined method. In addition, multilayer nanopatterns of the Au-micelles were also proposed.

  15. Preparation of gold nanoparticles by γ-ray irradiation method using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as stabilizer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Tan Man; Le Hai; Le Huu Tu; Tran Thu Hong; Tran Thi Tam; Pham Thi Le Ha; Pham Thi Sam

    2011-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles were prepared from (Au 3+ ) aqueous solution by the method of γ-ray irradiation using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as stabilizer. The saturated conversion dose (Au 3+ --> Au o ) determined by UV-Vis spectroscopy was found to be about 5 kGy. The UV-Vis spectrum showed that an absorption peak at λ max =524 nm due to surface plasmon resonance. The image of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the gold nanoparticles are mostly spherical in shape and have an average diameter of ≅20 nm. The prepared colloidal gold nanoparticles solution is good stability for 6 months of storage. (author)

  16. Calculation extinction cross sections and molar attenuation coefficient of small gold nanoparticles and experimental observation of their UV-vis spectral properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Junqi; Gao, Kunpeng; Ou, Quanhong; Fu, Xuewen; Man, Shi-Qing; Guo, Jie; Liu, Yingkai

    2018-02-01

    Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been researched extensively, such as applied in various biosensors, biomedical imaging and diagnosis, catalysis and physico-chemical analysis. These applications usually required to know the nanoparticle size or concentration. Researchers have been studying a simply and quick way to estimate the concentration or size of nanoparticles from their optical spectra and SPR feature for several years. The extinction cross-sections and the molar attenuation coefficient were one of the key parameters. In this study, we calculated the extinction cross-sections and molar attenuation coefficient (decadic molar extinction coefficient) of small gold nanoparticles by dipole approximation method and modified Beer-Lambert law. The theoretical result showed that the surface plasmon resonance peak of small gold nanoparticles was blueshift with an increase size. Moreover, small AuNPs (sub-10 nm) were prepared by using of dextran or trisodium citrate as reducing agent and capping agent. The experimental synthesized AuNPs was also shows a blueshift as increasing particle size in a certain range. And the concentration of AuNPs was calculated based on the obtained molar attenuation coefficient. For small nanoparticles, the size of nanoparticles and surface plasmon resonance property was not showed a positive correlation compared to larger nanoparticles. These results suggested that SPR peak depended not only on the nanoparticle size and shape but also on the nanoparticles environment.

  17. Coherent confinement of plasmonic field in quantum dot-metallic nanoparticle molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadeghi, S M; Hatef, A; Fortin-Deschenes, Simon; Meunier, Michel

    2013-05-24

    Interaction of a hybrid system consisting of a semiconductor quantum dot and a metallic nanoparticle (MNP) with a laser beam can replace the intrinsic plasmonic field of the MNP with a coherently normalized field (coherent-plasmonic or CP field). In this paper we show how quantum coherence effects in such a hybrid system can form a coherent barrier (quantum cage) that spatially confines the CP field. This allows us to coherently control the modal volume of this field, making it significantly smaller or larger than that of the intrinsic plasmonic field of the MNP. We investigate the spatial profiles of the CP field and discuss how the field barrier depends on the collective states of the hybrid system.

  18. Nanoscale form dictates mesoscale function in plasmonic DNA–nanoparticle superlattices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ross, Michael B.; Ku, Jessie C.; Vaccarezza, Victoria M.; Schatz, George C.; Mirkin , Chad A. (NWU)

    2016-06-15

    The nanoscale manipulation of matter allows properties to be created in a material that would be difficult or even impossible to achieve in the bulk state. Progress towards such functional nanoscale architectures requires the development of methods to precisely locate nanoscale objects in three dimensions and for the formation of rigorous structure–function relationships across multiple size regimes (beginning from the nanoscale). Here, we use DNA as a programmable ligand to show that two- and three-dimensional mesoscale superlattice crystals with precisely engineered optical properties can be assembled from the bottom up. The superlattices can transition from exhibiting the properties of the constituent plasmonic nanoparticles to adopting the photonic properties defined by the mesoscale crystal (here a rhombic dodecahedron) by controlling the spacing between the gold nanoparticle building blocks. Furthermore, we develop a generally applicable theoretical framework that illustrates how crystal habit can be a design consideration for controlling far-field extinction and light confinement in plasmonic metamaterial superlattices.

  19. Single-step generation of fluorophore-encapsulated gold nanoparticle core-shell materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sardar, R; Shem, P M; Pecchia-Bekkum, C; Bjorge, N S; Shumaker-Parry, J S

    2010-01-01

    We report a simple route to produce fluorophore-encapsulated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in a single step under aqueous conditions using the fluorophore 1-pyrenemethylamine (PMA). Different amounts of PMA were used and the resulting core-shell gold nanoparticles were analyzed using UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Electron microscopy analysis shows nanoparticles consisting of a gold nanoparticle core which is encapsulated with a lower contrast shell. In the UV-visible spectra, we observed a significant red shift (37 nm) of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption maximum (λ max ) compared to citrate-stabilized AuNPs of a similar size. We attribute the prominent LSPR wavelength shift for PMA-AuNP conjugates to the increase in the local dielectric environment near the gold nanoparticles due to the shell formation. This simple, aqueous-based synthesis is a new approach to the production of fluorophore-encapsulated AuNPs that could be applicable in biological sensing systems and photonic device fabrication.

  20. Colloidal Au-enhanced surface plasmon resonance imaging: application in a DNA hybridization process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manera, M G; Spadavecchia, J; Taurino, A; Rella, R

    2010-01-01

    The detection of the DNA hybridization mechanism using monodispersed gold nanoparticles as labels is an interesting alternative to increase the sensitivity of the SPR imaging technique. DNA-modified Au nanoparticles (DNA-Au NPs) containing single-stranded (ss) portions of DNA were prepared by monitoring their monolayer formation by UV–vis spectroscopy. The hybridization process between specific thio-oligonucleotides immobilized on the DNA–Au NPs and the corresponding complementary strands is reported and compared with the traditional hybridization process on properly self-assembled thin gold films deposited on glass substrates. A remarkable signal amplification is observed, following the incorporation of colloidal Au into a SPR biosensing experiment, resulting in an increased SPR response to DNA–DNA interactions. In particular Fusarium thiolated DNA (5'HS poly(T) 15 ATC CCT CAA AAA CTG CCG CT-3) and trichothecenes complementary DNA (5'-AGC GGC AGT TTT TGA GGG AT-3') sequences have been explored due to their possible application to agro-industry for the control of food quality

  1. Reactivating Catalytic Surface: Insights into the Role of Hot Holes in Plasmonic Catalysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Tianhuan; Miao, Junjian; Gao, Zhaoshuai; Zhang, Linjuan; Gao, Yi; Fan, Chunhai; Li, Di

    2018-03-01

    Surface plasmon resonance of coinage metal nanoparticles is extensively exploited to promote catalytic reactions via harvesting solar energy. Previous efforts on elucidating the mechanisms of enhanced catalysis are devoted to hot electron-induced photothermal conversion and direct charge transfer to the adsorbed reactants. However, little attention is paid to roles of hot holes that are generated concomitantly with hot electrons. In this work, 13 nm spherical Au nanoparticles with small absorption cross-section are employed to catalyze a well-studied glucose oxidation reaction. Density functional theory calculation and X-ray absorption spectrum analysis reveal that hot holes energetically favor transferring catalytic intermediates to product molecules and then desorbing from the surface of plasmonic catalysts, resulting in the recovery of their catalytic activities. The studies shed new light on the use of the synergy of hot holes and hot electrons for plasmon-promoted catalysis. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Conjugating folate on superparamagnetic Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles using click chemistry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shen, Xiaofang; Ge, Zhaoqiang; Pang, Yuehong

    2015-01-01

    Gold-coated magnetic core@shell nanoparticles, which exhibit magneto-optical properties, not only enhance the chemical stability of core and biocompatibility of surface, but also provide a combination of multimodal imaging and therapeutics. The conjugation of these tiny nanoparticles with specific biomolecules allows researchers to target the desired location. In this paper, superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 @Au nanoparticles were synthesized and functionalized with the azide group on the surface by formation of self-assembled monolayers. Folate (FA) molecules, non-immunogenic target ligands for cancer cells, are conjugated with alkyne and then immobilized on the azide-terminated Fe 3 O 4 @Au nanoparticles through copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (click reaction). Myelogenous leukemia K562 cells were used as a folate receptor (FR) model, which can be targeted and extracted by magnetic field after interaction with the Fe 3 O 4 @Au–FA nanoparticles. - Graphical abstract: Self-assembled azide-terminated group on superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 @Au nanoparticles followed by click reaction with alkyne-functionalized folate, allowing the nanoparticles target folate receptor of cancer cells. - Highlights: • Azidoundecanethiol was coated on the superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 @Au nanoparticles by forming self-assembled monolayers. • Alkyne-terminated folate was synthesized from a reaction between the amine and the carboxylic acid. • Conjugation of Fe 3 O 4 @Au nanoparticles with folate was made by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition click chemistry

  3. Templated green synthesis of plasmonic silver nanoparticles in onion epidermal cells suitable for surface-enhanced Raman and hyper-Raman scattering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Palanco, Marta Espina; Mogensen, Klaus Bo; Guehlke, Marina

    2016-01-01

    We report fast and simple green synthesis of plasmonic silver nanoparticles in the epidermal cells of onions after incubation with AgNO3 solution. The biological environment supports the generation of silver nanostructures in two ways. The plant tissue delivers reducing chemicals for the initial...... for one-and two-photon-excited spectroscopy such as surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and surface enhanced hyper-Raman scattering (SEHRS). Our studies demonstrate a templated green preparation of enhancing plasmonic nanoparticles and suggest a new route to deliver silver nanoparticles as basic...... building blocks of plasmonic nanosensors to plants by the uptake of solutions of metal salts....

  4. Gold-Gilded Zinc Oxide Nanodiamonds: Plasmonic and Morphological Effects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, G. R.; Khan, R. A.

    The novel properties, diverse applications and device performance of nanocomposites can be greatly modulated through astute combination of plasmonic and morphological effects. The biosensing sensitivity, semiconducting capability, photocatalytic efficiency and antibacterial efficacy of ZnO nanostructures can be enhanced by a diamond-like morphology of ZnO via incorporation of plasmonic gold owing to their exceptional specific surface area, outstanding photoluminescence and excellent biocompatibility. Toward the realization of this goal, Au-Zno nanodiamonds have been successfully synthesized by a microwave assisted solution phase route without use of any costly solvents, surfactants, substrates, post-synthesis treatment or hazardous ingredients. It shows the ability to control the concentration of Au nanoparticles in ZnO and the evolution of its growth in diamond shape. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by high-resolution measurements such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffractometory (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and the results discussed in detail.

  5. Nanoparticle movement: Plasmonic forces and physical constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batson, P.E.; Reyes-Coronado, A.; Barrera, R.G.; Rivacoba, A.; Echenique, P.M.; Aizpurua, J.

    2012-01-01

    Nanoparticle structures observed in aberration-corrected electron microscopes exhibit many types of behavior, some of which are dominated by intrinsic conditions, unrelated to the microscope environment. Some behaviors are clearly driven by the electron beam, however, and the question arises as to whether these are similar to intrinsic mechanisms, useful for understanding nanoscale behavior, or whether they should be regarded as unwanted modification of as-built specimens. We have studied a particular kind of beam–specimen interaction – plasmon dielectric forces caused by the electric fields imposed by a passing swift electron – identifying four types of forced motion, including both attractive and repulsive forces on single nanoparticles, and coalescent and non-coalescent forces in groups of two or more nanoparticles. We suggest that these forces might be useful for deliberate electron beam guided movement of nanoparticles. -- Highlights: ► We investigate the interaction of metal nanoparticles with a high energy electron beam. ► We find forces ranging from 0.1 to 50 pN forces between the metal particles and the beam. ► At moderate distances, dielectric forces are usually small and attractive. ► At sub-Nm distances the forces become repulsive, pushing nanoparticles away from the electron beam. ► While the repulsive behavior is predicted by electromagnetic theory, the detailed origin of the behavior is not yet understood.

  6. Fabrication of catalytically active Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles by rapid injection of NaBH4

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Haijun; Lu, Lilin; Cao, Yingnan; Du, Shuang; Cheng, Zhong; Zhang, Shaowei

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The synthesis and characterization of 2.0 nm-diameter Au/Pt/Pd nanoparticles are reported. The catalytic activity for glucose oxidation of the nanoparticles is several times higher than that of Au nanoparticles with nearly same size. - Highlights: • PVP-protected Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles (TNPs) of 2.0 nm in diameter were prepared. • The catalytic activity of TNPs is several times higher than that of Au nanoparticles. • Negatively charged Au atoms in the TNPs were confirmed by DFT calculation. - Abstract: Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles (TNPs) with an alloyed structure and an average diameter of about 2.0 nm were prepared via reducing the corresponding ions with rapidly injected NaBH 4 , and characterized by UV–vis, TEM and HR-TEM. The catalytic activity of as-prepared TNPs for the aerobic glucose oxidation is several times higher than that of Au monometallic nanoparticles with about the same average size, which could be attributed to the catalytically active sites provided by the negatively charged Au atoms as a result of the electron donation from the neighboring Pd atoms. This was well supported by the electron density calculations based on the density functional theory

  7. Asymmetric monometallic nanorod nanoparticle dimer and related compositions and methods

    KAUST Repository

    Han, Yu

    2016-03-31

    The fabrication of asymmetric monometallic nanocrystals with novel properties for plasmonics, nanophotonics and nanoelectronics. Asymmetric monometallic plasmonic nanocrystals are of both fundamental synthetic challenge and practical significance. In an example, a thiol-ligand mediated growth strategy that enables the synthesis of unprecedented Au Nanorod-Au Nanoparticle (AuNR-AuNP) dimers from pre-synthesized AuNR seeds. Using high-resolution electron microscopy and tomography, crystal structure and three-dimensional morphology of the dimer, as well as the growth pathway of the AuNP on the AuNR seed, was investigated for this example. The dimer exhibits an extraordinary broadband optical extinction spectrum spanning the UV, visible, and near infrared regions (300 - 1300 nm). This unexpected property makes the AuNR-AuNP dimer example useful for many nanophotonic applications. In two experiments, the dimer example was tested as a surface- enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate and a solar light harvester for photothermal conversion, in comparison with the mixture of AuNR and AuNP. In the SERS experiment, the dimer example showed an enhancement factor about 10 times higher than that of the mixture, when the excitation wavelength (660 nm) was off the two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands of the mixture. In the photothermal conversion experiment under simulated sunlight illumination, the dimer example exhibited an energy conversion efficiency about 1.4 times as high as that of the mixture.

  8. Aspartame-stabilized gold-silver bimetallic biocompatible nanostructures with plasmonic photothermal properties, antibacterial activity, and long-term stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fasciani, Chiara; Silvero, M Jazmin; Anghel, Maria Alexandra; Argüello, Gerardo A; Becerra, Maria Cecilia; Scaiano, Juan C

    2014-12-17

    Gold-silver core-shell nanoparticles stabilized with a common sweetener, aspartame (AuNP@Ag@Asm), combine the antimicrobial properties of silver with the photoinduced plasmon-mediated photothermal effects of gold. The particles were tested with several bacterial strains, while biocompatibility was verified with human dermal fibroblasts.

  9. Dual-Function Au@Y2O3:Eu3+ Smart Film for Enhanced Power Conversion Efficiency and Long-Term Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Chang Woo; Eom, Tae Young; Yang, In Seok; Kim, Byung Su; Lee, Wan In; Kang, Yong Soo; Kang, Young Soo

    2017-07-28

    In the present study, a dual-functional smart film combining the effects of wavelength conversion and amplification of the converted wave by the localized surface plasmon resonance has been investigated for a perovskite solar cell. This dual-functional film, composed of Au nanoparticles coated on the surface of Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor (Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ) nanoparticle monolayer, enhances the solar energy conversion efficiency to electrical energy and long-term stability of photovoltaic cells. Coupling between the Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor monolayer and ultraviolet solar light induces the latter to be converted into visible light with a quantum yield above 80%. Concurrently, the Au nanoparticle monolayer on the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer amplifies the converted visible light by up to 170%. This synergy leads to an increased solar light energy conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Simultaneously, the dual-function film suppresses the photodegradation of perovskite by UV light, resulting in long-term stability. Introducing the hybrid smart Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ film in perovskite solar cells increases their overall solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency to 16.1% and enhances long-term stability, as compared to the value of 15.2% for standard perovskite solar cells. The synergism between the wavelength conversion effect of the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer and the wave amplification by the localized surface plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticle monolayer in a perovskite solar cell is comparatively investigated, providing a viable strategy of broadening the solar spectrum utilization.

  10. The synthesis of high yield Au nanoplate and optimized optical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Yuan; Kan, Caixia; Xu, Juan; Liu, Yang

    2018-02-01

    The applications of Au nanoplates based on the tunable plasmon properties and enhanced electromagnetic field at the sharp tip and straight edges, have generated a great deal of interest in recent years, especially in the fields of the bio-chemical sensing and imaging. In this review, we focus on the synthesis of nanoscale platelike structures by multiple synthetic strategies (such as thermal solution method, seed-mediated method, seedless method, and some greener methods), and explore corresponding growth mechanism in different synthetic approaches. Other than to review the fabrication of Au nanoplates, the purification strategies are also discussed in order to support the applications in various fields. Modifying synthetic method to obtain well-defined nanoplates can tuned optical absorption from visible to near-infrared region. Moreover, the Au nanoplate dimers (vertex-to-vertex and edge-by-edge assemblies) can induce more specific plasmon properties and stronger localized field due to coupling of interparticles. Compared with 0D quasi-spherical nanoparticles and 1D nanorods, the 2D nanoplates can be applied as a good surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate because of the sharp corners and straight edges. This review will provide background information for the controllable synthesis of anisotropic nanoparticles and advance the application of coupled nanostructures.

  11. Plasmonic properties and enhanced fluorescence of gold and dye-doped silica nanoparticle aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Nathaniel Scott

    The development of metal-enhanced fluorescence has prompted a great interest in augmenting the photophysical properties of fluorescent molecules with noble metal nanostructures. Our research efforts, outlined in this dissertation, focus on augmenting properties of fluorophores by conjugation with gold nanostructures. The project goals are split into two separate efforts; the enhancement in brightness of fluorophores and long distance non-radiative energy transfer between fluorophores. We believe that interacting dye-doped silica nanoparticles with gold nanoparticles can facilitate both of these phenomena. Our primary research interest is focused on optimizing brightness, as this goal should open a path to studying the second goal of non-radiative energy transfer. The two major challenges to this are constructing suitable nanomaterials and functionalizing them to promote plasmonically active complexes. The synthesis of dye-doped layered silica nanoparticles allows for control over the discrete location of the dye and a substrate that can be surface functionalized. Controlling the exact location of the dye is important to create a silica spacer, which promotes productive interactions with metal nanostructures. Furthermore, the synthesis of silica nanoparticles allows for various fluorophores to be studied in similar environments (removing solvent and other chemo-sensitive issues). Functionalizing the surface of silica nanoparticles allows control over the degree of silica and gold nanoparticle aggregation in solution. Heteroaggregation in solution is useful for producing well-aggregated clusters of many gold around a single silica nanoparticle. The dye-doped surface functionalized silica nanoparticles can than be mixed efficiently with gold nanomaterials. Aggregating multiple gold nanospheres around a single dye-doped silica nanoparticle can dramatically increase the fluorescent brightness of the sample via metal-enhanced fluorescence due to increase plasmonic

  12. Size and composition tunable Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles by replacement reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Qingbo; Lee, J Y; Yang Jun; Boothroyd, Chris; Zhang Jixuan

    2007-01-01

    Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles with tunable size and composition were prepared by a replacement reaction between Ag nanoparticles and HAuCl 4 at elevated temperatures. The formation of homogeneous alloy nanoparticles was confirmed by selected-area energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SAEDX), UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and electron diffraction. This method leverages upon the rapid interdiffusion of Ag and Au atoms in the reduced dimension of a nanoparticle, elevated temperatures and the large number of vacancy defects created in the replacement reaction. This method of preparation has several notable advantages: (1) independent tuning of the size and composition of alloy nanoparticles; (2) production of alloy nanoparticles in high concentrations; (3) general utility in the synthesis of alloy nanoparticles that cannot be obtained by the co-reduction method

  13. Plasmonic heating from indium nanoparticles on a floating microporous membrane for enhanced solar seawater desalination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lulu; Xing, Jun; Wen, Xinglin; Chai, Jianwei; Wang, Shijie; Xiong, Qihua

    2017-09-14

    Passive solar evaporation represents a promising and environmentally benign method of water purification/desalination. Plasmonic nanoparticles have been demonstrated as an effective approach for enhancing solar steam generation through a plasmonic heating effect, nonetheless the efficiency is constrained by unnecessary bulk heating of the entire liquid volume, while the noble metals commonly used are not cost-effective in terms of availability and their sophisticated preparation. Herein, a paper-like plasmonic device consisting of a microporous membrane and indium nanoparticles (In NPs/MPM) is fabricated through a simple thermal evaporation method. Due to the light-weight and porous nature of the device, the broadband light absorption properties, and theoretically the excellent plasmonic heating effect from In NP which could be even higher than gold, silver and aluminium nanoparticles, our device can effectively enhance solar water evaporation by floating on the water surface and its utility has been demonstrated in the solar desalination of a real seawater sample. The durability of the device in solar seawater desalination has also been investigated over multiple cycles with stable performances. This portable device could provide a solution for individuals to do water/seawater purification in under-developed areas with limited/no access to electricity or a centralized drinking water supply.

  14. Towards a laser fluence dependent nanostructuring of thin Au films on Si by nanosecond laser irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruffino, F.; Pugliara, A.; Carria, E.; Romano, L.; Bongiorno, C.; Fisicaro, G.; La Magna, A.; Spinella, C.; Grimaldi, M.G.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Au nanoclusters are produced by nanosecond laser irradiations of thin Au film on Si. ► The shape, size, and surface density of the Au nanoclusters are tunable by laser fluence. ► The formation dynamic of the Au nanoclusters under nanosecond laser irradiation is analyzed. - Abstract: In this work, we study the nanostructuring effects of nanosecond laser irradiations on 5 nm thick Au film sputter-deposited on Si. After deposition of Au on Si substrate, nanosecond laser irradiations were performed increasing the laser fluence from 750 to 1500 mJ/cm 2 . Several analyses techniques, such as Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were crossed to study the morphological evolution of the Au film as a function of laser fluence. In particular, the formation of Au nanoparticles was observed. The analyses allowed a quantitative evaluation of the evolution of the nanoparticles size, surface density, and shape as a function of the laser fluence. Therefore, a control the structural properties of the Au nanoparticles is reached, for example, for applications in Si nanowires growth or plasmonics.

  15. Laser synthesis of hybrid nanoparticles for biomedicine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avetissian, H. K.; Lalayan, A. A.

    2018-04-01

    The extraordinary properties of size-tunable nanoparticles (NPs) have given rise to their widespread applications in Nanophotonics, Biomedicine, Plasmonics etc. Semiconductor and metal NPs have found a number of significant applications in the modern biomedicine due to ultrasmall sizes (1-10 nm) and the size-dependent flexibility of their optical properties. In the present work passive Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser was used to synthesize NPs by method of laser ablation in different liquids. For cases of hybrid metal NPs we have demonstrated that plasmon resonance can be modified and tuned from the plasmon resonances of pure metal NPs. The shifted plasmon resonance frequency at 437 nm for Au-Ag hybrid NPs, and 545 nm for Au-Cu hybrid NPs have been observed. Effectiveness of biotissue ablation in the case of the tissue sample that colored with metal NPs was approximately on 4-5 times larger than for the sample with non-colored area. Laser welding for deep-located biotissue layers colored by metal NPs has been realized. The luminescence properties of the colloidal hybrid Si-Ni nanoparticles' system fabricated by pulsed laser ablation are also considered. The red-shifted photoluminescence of this system has been registered in the blue range of the spectrum because of the Stark effect in the Coulomb field of the charged Ni nanoparticles. Summarizing, the knowledge of peculiarities of optical properties of hybrid NPs is very important for biomedical applications. More complex nanoassemblies can be easily constructed by the presented technique of laser synthesis of colloidal QDs including complexes of NPs of different materials.

  16. Au nanoparticles on tryptophan-functionalized graphene for sensitive detection of dopamine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lian, Qianwen; Luo, Ai; An, Zhenzhen; Li, Zhuang; Guo, Yongyang; Zhang, Dongxia; Xue, Zhonghua; Zhou, Xibin; Lu, Xiaoquan

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel AuNPs/Trp-GR composite was fabricated by directly electrochemical deposition. • The composite exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards DA. • The proposed method was applied to real samples. - Abstract: A novel and uniform gold nanoparticles/tryptophan-functionalized graphene nanocomposite (AuNPs/Trp-GR) has been successfully fabricated by directly electrochemical depositing gold onto the surface of tryptophan-functionalized graphene (Trp-GR). The nanostructure of AuNPs/Trp-GR was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). It was demonstrated that Au nanoparticles were well dispersed on the surface of Trp-GR which might attribute to the more binding sites provided by Trp-GR for the formation of Au nanoparticles. The electrocatalytic activity of the AuNPs/Trp-GR towards the dopamine (DA) was systematically investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimum conditions, a wide and valuable linear range (0.5–411 μM), a low detection limit (0.056 μM, S/N = 3), good repeatability and stability were obtained for the determination of DA. Furthermore, the modified electrode was successfully applied to real samples analysis

  17. Au nanoparticles on tryptophan-functionalized graphene for sensitive detection of dopamine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lian, Qianwen; Luo, Ai; An, Zhenzhen; Li, Zhuang; Guo, Yongyang; Zhang, Dongxia [Key Laboratory of Bioelectrochemistry & Environmental Analysis of Gansu Province, College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, 730070, Lanzhou (China); Xue, Zhonghua [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, 730070, Lanzhou (China); Zhou, Xibin, E-mail: zhouxb@nwnu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Bioelectrochemistry & Environmental Analysis of Gansu Province, College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, 730070, Lanzhou (China); Lu, Xiaoquan, E-mail: Luxq@nwnu.edu.cn [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Northwest Normal University, 730070, Lanzhou (China)

    2015-09-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel AuNPs/Trp-GR composite was fabricated by directly electrochemical deposition. • The composite exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards DA. • The proposed method was applied to real samples. - Abstract: A novel and uniform gold nanoparticles/tryptophan-functionalized graphene nanocomposite (AuNPs/Trp-GR) has been successfully fabricated by directly electrochemical depositing gold onto the surface of tryptophan-functionalized graphene (Trp-GR). The nanostructure of AuNPs/Trp-GR was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). It was demonstrated that Au nanoparticles were well dispersed on the surface of Trp-GR which might attribute to the more binding sites provided by Trp-GR for the formation of Au nanoparticles. The electrocatalytic activity of the AuNPs/Trp-GR towards the dopamine (DA) was systematically investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under optimum conditions, a wide and valuable linear range (0.5–411 μM), a low detection limit (0.056 μM, S/N = 3), good repeatability and stability were obtained for the determination of DA. Furthermore, the modified electrode was successfully applied to real samples analysis.

  18. Visual and Plasmon Resonance Absorption Sensor for Adenosine Triphosphate Based on the High Affinity between Phosphate and Zr(IV)

    OpenAIRE

    Qi, Wenjing; Liu, Zhongyuan; Zhang, Wei; Halawa, Mohamed Ibrahim; Xu, Guobao

    2016-01-01

    Zr(IV) can form phosphate and Zr(IV) (?PO3 2??Zr4+?) complex owing to the high affinity between Zr(IV) with phosphate. Zr(IV) can induce the aggregation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), while adenosine triphosphate(ATP) can prevent Zr(IV)-induced aggregation of AuNPs. Herein, a visual and plasmon resonance absorption (PRA)sensor for ATP have been developed using AuNPs based on the high affinity between Zr(IV)with ATP. AuNPs get aggregated in the presence of certain concentrations of Zr(IV). Aft...

  19. Design of a versatile chemical assembly method for patterning colloidal nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, J H; Adams, S M; Ragan, R

    2009-01-01

    Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) domains in phase-separated polystyrene-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) diblock copolymer thin films were chemically modified for controlled placement of solution synthesized Au nanoparticles having a mean diameter of 24 nm. Colloidal Au nanoparticles functionalized with thioctic acid were immobilized on amine functionalized PMMA domains on the PS-b-PMMA template using 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride linking chemistry and N-hydroxy sulfosuccinimide stabilizer. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images demonstrated immobilization of Au nanoparticles commensurate with PMMA domains. Nanoparticles form into clusters of single particles, dimers, and linear chains as directed by the PMMA domain size and shape. Capillary forces influence the spacing between Au nanoparticles on PMMA domains. Inter-particle spacings below 3 nm were achieved and these assemblies of closely spaced nanoparticle clusters are expected to exhibit strong localized electromagnetic fields. Thus, these processes and material systems provide an experimental platform for studying resonantly enhanced excitations of surface plasmons as a function of material and geometric structure as well as utilization in catalytic applications.

  20. Au-coated 3-D nanoporous titania layer prepared using polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) block copolymer nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Won-Jeong; Basarir, Fevzihan; Yoon, Tae-Ho; Lee, Jae-Suk

    2009-04-09

    New nanoporous structures of Au-coated titania layers were prepared by using amphiphilic block copolymer nanoparticles as a template. A 3-D template composed of self-assembled quaternized polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (Q-PS-b-P2VP) block copolymer nanoparticles below 100 nm was prepared. The core-shell-type nanoparticles were well ordered three-dimensionally using the vertical immersion method on the substrate. The polar solvents were added to the polymer solution to prevent particle merging at 40 degrees C when considering the interaction between polymer nanoparticles and solvents. Furthermore, Au-coated PS-b-P2VP nanoparticles were prepared using thiol-capped Au nanoparticles (3 nm). The 3-D arrays with Au-coated PS-b-P2VP nanoparticles as a template contributed to the preparation of the nanoporous Au-coated titania layer. Therefore, the nanoporous Au-coated titania layer was fabricated by removing PS-b-P2VP block copolymer nanoparticles by oxygen plasma etching.

  1. Impact of the Excitation Source and Plasmonic Material on Cylindrical Active Coated Nano-Particles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard W. Ziolkowski

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Electromagnetic properties of cylindrical active coated nano-particles comprised of a silica nano-cylinder core layered with a plasmonic concentric nano-shell are investigated for potential nano-sensor applications. Particular attention is devoted to the near-field properties of these particles, as well as to their far-field radiation characteristics, in the presence of an electric or a magnetic line source. A constant frequency canonical gain model is used to account for the gain introduced in the dielectric part of the nano-particle, whereas three different plasmonic materials (silver, gold, and copper are employed and compared for the nano-shell layers.

  2. Phase modification and surface plasmon resonance of Au/WO{sub 3} system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bose, R. Jolly; Kavitha, V.S. [Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Kariyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 691574, Kerala (India); Sudarsanakumar, C. [School of Pure and Applied Physics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Priyadarshini Hills, Kottayam 686560, Kerala (India); Pillai, V.P. Mahadevan, E-mail: vpmpillai9@gmail.com [Department of Optoelectronics, University of Kerala, Kariyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram 691574, Kerala (India)

    2016-08-30

    Highlights: • We have investigated the role of gold as catalyst and nucleation centers, for the crystallization and phase modification of tungsten oxide, in Au/WO{sub 3} matrix. • The phase change from triclinic WO{sub 3} to monoclinic W{sub 18}O{sub 49} is found to enhance with gold incorporation. • The surface plasmon resonance is observed in gold/tungsten oxide system with the appearance of an absorption band near the wavelength 604 nm. - Abstract: We report the action of gold as catalyst for the modification of phase from triclinic WO{sub 3} to monoclinic W{sub 18}O{sub 49} and nucleation centre for the formation of W{sub 18}O{sub 49} phase, in gold incorporated tungsten oxide films prepared by RF magnetron sputtering technique. A new band is observed near 925 cm{sup −1} in the Raman spectra of gold incorporated tungsten oxide films which is not observed in the pure tungsten oxide film. The intensity of this band enhances with gold content. A localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band is observed near the wavelength 604 nm in gold incorporated tungsten oxide films. The integrated intensities of LSPR band and Raman band (∼925 cm{sup −1}) can be used for sensing the quantity of gold in the Au/WO{sub 3} matrix.

  3. Exploring the Stability of Gold Nanoparticles by Experimenting with Adsorption Interactions of Nanomaterials in an Undergraduate Lab

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chi-Feng; You, Pei-Yun; Lin, Ying-Chiao; Hsu, Tsai-Ling; Cheng, Pi-Yun; Wu, Yu-Xuan; Tseng, Chi-Shun; Chen, Sheng-Wen; Chang, Huey-Por; Lin, Yang-Wei

    2015-01-01

    The proposed experiment can help students to understand the factors involved in the stability of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) by exploring the adsorption interaction between Au NPs and various substances. The students in this study found that the surface plasmon resonance band of Au NP solutions underwent a red shift (i.e., from 520 to 650 nm)…

  4. SERS Detection of Penicillin G Using Magnetite Decorated with Gold Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paula C. Pinheiro

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Sensitive and reliable procedures for detecting vestigial antibiotics are of great relevance for water quality monitoring due to the occurrence of such emergent pollutants in the aquatic environment. As such, we describe here research concerning the use of multifunctional nanomaterials combining magnetic and plasmonic components. These nanomaterials have been prepared by decorating magnetite nanoparticles (MNP with colloidal gold nanoparticles (Au NPs of distinct particle size distributions. Several analytical conditions were investigated in order to optimize the surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS detection of penicillin G (PG dissolved in water. In particular, the dependence of the SERS signal by using distinct sized Au NPs adsorbed at the MNP was investigated. Additionally, microscopic methods, including Raman confocal microscopy, were employed to characterize the SERS substrates and then to qualitatively detect penicillin G using such substrates. For example, magnetic–plasmonic nanocomposites can be employed for magnetically concentrate analyte molecules and their removal from solution. As a proof of concept, we applied magneto-plasmonic nanosorbents in the removal of aqueous penicillin G and demonstrate the possibility of SERS sensing this antibiotic.

  5. Synthesis of immunotargeted magneto-plasmonic nanoclusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Chun-Hsien; Sokolov, Konstantin

    2014-08-22

    Magnetic and plasmonic properties combined in a single nanoparticle provide a synergy that is advantageous in a number of biomedical applications including contrast enhancement in novel magnetomotive imaging modalities, simultaneous capture and detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and multimodal molecular imaging combined with photothermal therapy of cancer cells. These applications have stimulated significant interest in development of protocols for synthesis of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles with optical absorbance in the near-infrared (NIR) region and a strong magnetic moment. Here, we present a novel protocol for synthesis of such hybrid nanoparticles that is based on an oil-in-water microemulsion method. The unique feature of the protocol described herein is synthesis of magneto-plasmonic nanoparticles of various sizes from primary blocks which also have magneto-plasmonic characteristics. This approach yields nanoparticles with a high density of magnetic and plasmonic functionalities which are uniformly distributed throughout the nanoparticle volume. The hybrid nanoparticles can be easily functionalized by attaching antibodies through the Fc moiety leaving the Fab portion that is responsible for antigen binding available for targeting.

  6. Plasmonic nanoparticle lithography: Fast resist-free laser technique for large-scale sub-50 nm hole array fabrication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Zhenying; Yu, Ye Feng; Valuckas, Vytautas; Yap, Sherry L. K.; Vienne, Guillaume G.; Kuznetsov, Arseniy I.

    2018-05-01

    Cheap large-scale fabrication of ordered nanostructures is important for multiple applications in photonics and biomedicine including optical filters, solar cells, plasmonic biosensors, and DNA sequencing. Existing methods are either expensive or have strict limitations on the feature size and fabrication complexity. Here, we present a laser-based technique, plasmonic nanoparticle lithography, which is capable of rapid fabrication of large-scale arrays of sub-50 nm holes on various substrates. It is based on near-field enhancement and melting induced under ordered arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles, which are brought into contact or in close proximity to a desired material and acting as optical near-field lenses. The nanoparticles are arranged in ordered patterns on a flexible substrate and can be attached and removed from the patterned sample surface. At optimized laser fluence, the nanohole patterning process does not create any observable changes to the nanoparticles and they have been applied multiple times as reusable near-field masks. This resist-free nanolithography technique provides a simple and cheap solution for large-scale nanofabrication.

  7. Femtosecond Laser Irradiation of Plasmonic Nanoparticles in Polymer Matrix: Implications for Photothermal and Photochemical Material Alteration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anton A. Smirnov

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available We analyze the opportunities provided by the plasmonic nanoparticles inserted into the bulk of a transparent medium to modify the material by laser light irradiation. This study is provoked by the advent of photo-induced nano-composites consisting of a typical polymer matrix and metal nanoparticles located in the light-irradiated domains of the initially homogeneous material. The subsequent irradiation of these domains by femtosecond laser pulses promotes a further alteration of the material properties. We separately consider two different mechanisms of material alteration. First, we analyze a photochemical reaction initiated by the two-photon absorption of light near the plasmonic nanoparticle within the matrix. We show that the spatial distribution of the products of such a reaction changes the symmetry of the material, resulting in the appearance of anisotropy in the initially isotropic material or even in the loss of the center of symmetry. Second, we analyze the efficiency of a thermally-activated chemical reaction at the surface of a plasmonic particle and the distribution of the product of such a reaction just near the metal nanoparticle irradiated by an ultrashort laser pulse.

  8. Role of Au-C Interactions on the Catalytic Activity of Au Nanoparticles Supported on TiC(001) toward Molecular Oxygen Dissociation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez, J.; Feria, L.; Jirsak, T.; Takahashi, Y.; Nakamura, K.; Illas, F.

    2010-01-01

    High-resolution photoemission and density functional calculations on realistic slab surface models were used to study the interaction and subsequent dissociation of O 2 with Au nanoparticles supported on TiC(001). The photoemission results indicate that at 150 K O 2 adsorbs molecularly on the supported gold nanoparticles, and upon heating to temperatures above 200 K the O 2 → 2O reaction takes place with migration of atomic oxygen to the TiC(001) substrate. The addition of Au to TiC(001) substantially enhances the rate of O 2 dissociation at room temperature. The reactivity of Au nanoparticles supported on TiC(001) toward O 2 dissociation is much larger than that of similar nanoparticles supported either on TiO 2 (110) or MgO(001) surfaces, where the cleavage of O-O bonds is very difficult. Density functional calculations carried out on large supercells show that the contact of Au with TiC(001) is essential for charge polarization and an enhancement in the chemical activity of Au. Small two-dimensional particles which expose Au atoms in contact with TiC(001) are the most reactive. While O 2 prefers binding to Au sites, the O atoms interact more strongly with the TiC(001) surface. The oxygen species active during the low-temperature ( 2 . Once atomic O binds to TiC(001), the chemisorption bond is so strong that temperatures well above 400 K are necessary to remove the O adatoms from the TiC(001) substrate by direct reaction with CO. The high reactivity of Au/TiC(001) toward O 2 at low-temperature opens the route for the transformation of alcohols and amines on the supported Au nanoparticles.

  9. Green Synthesis and Catalytic Activity of Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized by Artemisia capillaris Water Extract

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Soo Hyeon; Ahn, Eun-Young; Park, Youmie

    2016-10-01

    Gold nanoparticles were synthesized using a water extract of Artemisia capillaris (AC-AuNPs) under different extract concentrations, and their catalytic activity was evaluated in a 4-nitrophenol reduction reaction in the presence of sodium borohydride. The AC-AuNPs showed violet or wine colors with characteristic surface plasmon resonance bands at 534 543 nm that were dependent on the extract concentration. Spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 16.88 ± 5.47 29.93 ± 9.80 nm were observed by transmission electron microscopy. A blue shift in the maximum surface plasmon resonance was observed with increasing extract concentration. The face-centered cubic structure of AC-AuNPs was confirmed by high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis. Based on phytochemical screening and Fourier transform infrared spectra, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and amino acids present in the extract contributed to the reduction of Au ions to AC-AuNPs. The average size of the AC-AuNPs decreased as the extract concentration during the synthesis was increased. Higher 4-nitrophenol reduction reaction rate constants were observed for smaller sizes. The extract in the AC-AuNPs was removed by centrifugation to investigate the effect of the extract in the reduction reaction. Interestingly, the removal of extracts greatly enhanced their catalytic activity by up to 50.4 %. The proposed experimental method, which uses simple centrifugation, can be applied to other metallic nanoparticles that are green synthesized with plant extracts to enhance their catalytic activity.

  10. Fabrication of catalytically active Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles by rapid injection of NaBH{sub 4}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Haijun, E-mail: zhanghaijun@wust.edu.cn [College of Materials and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430081 (China); State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Refractories and Ceramics, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China); Lu, Lilin [College of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China); Cao, Yingnan; Du, Shuang [College of Materials and Metallurgy, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei Province 430081 (China); State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Refractories and Ceramics, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China); Cheng, Zhong [College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Zhang, Shaowei [State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Refractories and Ceramics, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081 (China)

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: The synthesis and characterization of 2.0 nm-diameter Au/Pt/Pd nanoparticles are reported. The catalytic activity for glucose oxidation of the nanoparticles is several times higher than that of Au nanoparticles with nearly same size. - Highlights: • PVP-protected Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles (TNPs) of 2.0 nm in diameter were prepared. • The catalytic activity of TNPs is several times higher than that of Au nanoparticles. • Negatively charged Au atoms in the TNPs were confirmed by DFT calculation. - Abstract: Au/Pt/Pd trimetallic nanoparticles (TNPs) with an alloyed structure and an average diameter of about 2.0 nm were prepared via reducing the corresponding ions with rapidly injected NaBH{sub 4}, and characterized by UV–vis, TEM and HR-TEM. The catalytic activity of as-prepared TNPs for the aerobic glucose oxidation is several times higher than that of Au monometallic nanoparticles with about the same average size, which could be attributed to the catalytically active sites provided by the negatively charged Au atoms as a result of the electron donation from the neighboring Pd atoms. This was well supported by the electron density calculations based on the density functional theory.

  11. Bio-inspired evaporation through plasmonic film of nanoparticles at the air-water interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhenhui; Liu, Yanming; Tao, Peng; Shen, Qingchen; Yi, Nan; Zhang, Fangyu; Liu, Quanlong; Song, Chengyi; Zhang, Di; Shang, Wen; Deng, Tao

    2014-08-27

    Plasmonic gold nanoparticles self-assembled at the air-water interface to produce an evaporative surface with local control inspired by skins and plant leaves. Fast and efficient evaporation is realized due to the instant and localized plasmonic heating at the evaporative surface. The bio-inspired evaporation process provides an alternative promising approach for evaporation, and has potential applications in sterilization, distillation, and heat transfer. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Effect of the Fabrication Parameters of the Nanosphere Lithography Method on the Properties of the Deposited Au-Ag Nanoparticle Arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jing; Chen, Chaoyang; Yang, Guangsong; Chen, Yushan; Yang, Cheng-Fu

    2017-04-03

    The nanosphere lithography (NSL) method can be developed to deposit the Au-Ag triangle hexagonal nanoparticle arrays for the generation of localized surface plasmon resonance. Previously, we have found that the parameters used to form the NSL masks and the physical methods required to deposit the Au-Ag thin films had large effects on the geometry properties of the nanoparticle arrays. Considering this, the different parameters used to grow the Au-Ag triangle hexagonal nanoparticle arrays were investigated. A single-layer NSL mask was formed by using self-assembly nano-scale polystyrene (PS) nanospheres with an average radius of 265 nm. At first, the concentration of the nano-scale PS nanospheres in the solution was set at 6 wt %. Two coating methods, drop-coating and spin-coating, were used to coat the nano-scale PS nanospheres as a single-layer NSL mask. From the observations of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), we found that the matrixes of the PS nanosphere masks fabricated by using the drop-coating method were more uniform and exhibited a smaller gap than those fabricated by the spin-coating method. Next, the drop-coating method was used to form the single-layer NSL mask and the concentration of nano-scale PS nanospheres in a solution that was changed from 4 to 10 wt %, for further study. The SEM images showed that when the concentrations of PS nanospheres in the solution were 6 and 8 wt %, the matrixes of the PS nanosphere masks were more uniform than those of 4 and 10 wt %. The effects of the one-side lifting angle of substrates and the vaporization temperature for the solvent of one-layer self-assembly PS nanosphere thin films, were also investigated. Finally, the concentration of the nano-scale PS nanospheres in the solution was set at 8 wt % to form the PS nanosphere masks by the drop-coating method. Three different physical deposition methods, including thermal evaporation, radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, and e-gun deposition, were used to

  13. Effect of the Fabrication Parameters of the Nanosphere Lithography Method on the Properties of the Deposited Au-Ag Nanoparticle Arrays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Liu

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The nanosphere lithography (NSL method can be developed to deposit the Au-Ag triangle hexagonal nanoparticle arrays for the generation of localized surface plasmon resonance. Previously, we have found that the parameters used to form the NSL masks and the physical methods required to deposit the Au-Ag thin films had large effects on the geometry properties of the nanoparticle arrays. Considering this, the different parameters used to grow the Au-Ag triangle hexagonal nanoparticle arrays were investigated. A single‐layer NSL mask was formed by using self‐assembly nano-scale polystyrene (PS nanospheres with an average radius of 265 nm. At first, the concentration of the nano-scale PS nanospheres in the solution was set at 6 wt %. Two coating methods, drop-coating and spin-coating, were used to coat the nano-scale PS nanospheres as a single‐layer NSL mask. From the observations of scanning electronic microscopy (SEM, we found that the matrixes of the PS nanosphere masks fabricated by using the drop-coating method were more uniform and exhibited a smaller gap than those fabricated by the spin-coating method. Next, the drop-coating method was used to form the single‐layer NSL mask and the concentration of nano-scale PS nanospheres in a solution that was changed from 4 to 10 wt %, for further study. The SEM images showed that when the concentrations of PS nanospheres in the solution were 6 and 8 wt %, the matrixes of the PS nanosphere masks were more uniform than those of 4 and 10 wt %. The effects of the one-side lifting angle of substrates and the vaporization temperature for the solvent of one-layer self-assembly PS nanosphere thin films, were also investigated. Finally, the concentration of the nano-scale PS nanospheres in the solution was set at 8 wt % to form the PS nanosphere masks by the drop-coating method. Three different physical deposition methods, including thermal evaporation, radio-frequency magnetron sputtering, and e

  14. Promotion of Phenol Photodecomposition over TiO2 Using Au, Pd, and AuPd Nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Su, Ren; Tiruvalam, Ramchandra; He, Qian

    2012-01-01

    Noble metal nanoparticles (Au, Pd, AuPd alloys) with a narrow size distribution supported on nanocrystalline TiO2 (M/TiO2) have been synthesized via a sol-immobilization route. The effect of metal identity and size on the photocatalytic performance of M/TiO2 has been systematically investigated u...

  15. Engineering Gold Nanorod-Based Plasmonic Nanocrystals for Optical Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Jianfeng

    2015-09-01

    Plasmonic nanocrystals have a unique ability to support localized surface plasmon resonances and exhibit rich and intriguing optical properties. Engineering plasmonic nanocrystals can maximize their potentials for specific applications. In this dissertation, we developed three unprecedented Au nanorod-based plasmonic nanocrystals through rational design of the crystal shape and/or composition, and successfully demonstrated their applications in light condensation, photothermal conversion, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The “Au nanorod-Au nanosphere dimer” nanocrystal was synthesized via the ligand-induced asymmetric growth of a Au nanosphere on a Au nanorod. This dimeric nanostructure features an extraordinary broadband optical absorption in the range of 400‒1400nm, and it proved to be an ideal black-body material for light condensation and an efficient solar-light harvester for photothermal conversion. The “Au nanorod (core) @ AuAg alloy (shell)” nanocrystal was built through the epitaxial growth of homogeneously alloyed AuAg shells on Au nanorods by precisely controlled synthesis. The resulting core-shell structured, bimetallic nanorods integrate the merits of the AuAg alloy with the advantages of anisotropic nanorods, exhibiting strong, stable and tunable surface plasmon resonances that are essential for SERS applications in a corrosive environment. The “high-index faceted Au nanorod (core) @ AuPd alloy (shell)” nanocrystal was produced via site-specific epitaxial growth of AuPd alloyed horns at the ends of Au nanorods. The AuPd alloyed horns are bound with high-index side facets, while the Au nanorod concentrates an intensive electric field at each end. This unique configuration unites highly active catalytic sites with strong SERS sites into a single entity and was demonstrated to be ideal for in situ monitoring of Pd-catalyzed reactions by SERS. The synthetic strategies developed here are promising towards the fabrication of

  16. Porous Au-Ag Nanospheres with High-Density and Highly Accessible Hotspots for SERS Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Kai; Bai, Yaocai; Zhang, Lei; Yang, Zhongbo; Fan, Qikui; Zheng, Haoquan; Yin, Yadong; Gao, Chuanbo

    2016-06-08

    Colloidal plasmonic metal nanoparticles have enabled surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) for a variety of analytical applications. While great efforts have been made to create hotspots for amplifying Raman signals, it remains a great challenge to ensure their high density and accessibility for improved sensitivity of the analysis. Here we report a dealloying process for the fabrication of porous Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles containing abundant inherent hotspots, which were encased in ultrathin hollow silica shells so that the need of conventional organic capping ligands for stabilization is eliminated, producing colloidal plasmonic nanoparticles with clean surface and thus high accessibility of the hotspots. As a result, these novel nanostructures show excellent SERS activity with an enhancement factor of ∼1.3 × 10(7) on a single particle basis (off-resonant condition), promising high applicability in many SERS-based analytical and biomedical applications.

  17. Fabrication and characterizations of ZnO nanorods/Au nanoparticle composites on the electropolished Ti substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Hsiang, E-mail: hchen@ncnu.edu.tw [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China); Yeh, Yih-Min [WuFeng University, No. 117, Sec 2, Chiankuo Rd, Minhsiung, Chiayi County 62153, Taiwan, ROC (China); Chen, Jian-Zhi [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Song-Ming [WuFeng University, No. 117, Sec 2, Chiankuo Rd, Minhsiung, Chiayi County 62153, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Bo Yun; Wu, Zhi-Huei; Tsai, Shaung-Lin; Chang, Hung-Wei; Chu, Yu-Cheng; Liao, Chuan Hao [National Chi Nan University, No.1, Daxue Rd., Puli Township, Nantou County 545, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2013-12-31

    Au nanoparticles (NPs) were spread on ZnO nanorods (NRs) on the polished Ti substrate to form Au/ZnO nanocomposites. Multiple material analyses including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and images taken by optical microscope were performed on Au NPs of 2 nm and 20 nm on ZnO NRs. The FESEM and optical images under optical microscope indicate that 20 nm NPs can form more and larger clusters than 2 nm NPs on ZnO nanorod. Furthermore, more Au can be detected by EDS and XRD. We studied the behaviors of Au NPs on ZnO NR applications for future potential biosensing and antiseptic devices. - Highlights: • Nanocomposites of Au nanoparticles were spread on ZnO nanorods on Ti substrate. • Multiple material analyses were performed on 2 nm and 20 nm nanoparticles. • 20 nm nanoparticles formed more and larger clusters. • Optical images show well-distributed nanoparticle ZnO nanorods.

  18. Hollow metal nanostructures for enhanced plasmonics (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genç, Aziz; Patarroyo, Javier; Sancho-Parramon, Jordi; Duchamp, Martial; Gonzalez, Edgar; Bastus, Neus G.; Houben, Lothar; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal; Puntes, Victor F.; Arbiol, Jordi

    2016-03-01

    Complex metal nanoparticles offer a great playground for plasmonic nanoengineering, where it is possible to cover plasmon resonances from ultraviolet to near infrared by modifying the morphologies from solid nanocubes to nanoframes, multiwalled hollow nanoboxes or even nanotubes with hybrid (alternating solid and hollow) structures. We experimentally show that structural modifications, i.e. void size and final morphology, are the dominant determinants for the final plasmonic properties, while compositional variations allow us to get a fine tuning. EELS mappings of localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPRs) reveal an enhanced plasmon field inside the voids of hollow AuAg nanostructures along with a more homogeneous distributions of the plasmon fields around the nanostructures. With the present methodology and the appropriate samples we are able to compare the effects of hybridization at the nanoscale in hollow nanostructures. Boundary element method (BEM) simulations also reveal the effects of structural nanoengineering on plasmonic properties of hollow metal nanostructures. Possibility of tuning the LSPR properties of hollow metal nanostructures in a wide range of energy by modifying the void size/shell thickness is shown by BEM simulations, which reveals that void size is the dominant factor for tuning the LSPRs. As a proof of concept for enhanced plasmonic properties, we show effective label free sensing of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with some of our hollow nanostructures. In addition, the different plasmonic modes observed have also been studied and mapped in 3D.

  19. Synthesis, Morphology, and Optical Properties of Au/CdS Hybrid Nanocomposites Stabilized by Branched Polymer Matrices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. A. Chumachenko

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Metal/semiconductor (Au/CdS nanocomposites were synthesized in the solution of branched D-g-PAA polymer. TEM and DLS of Au/CdS/D-g-PAA nanocomposites revealed complicated nanocomposite structure consisting of the Au nanoparticles (NPs of 6 nm in size surrounded by small CdS NPs with size of 3 nm. These nanocomposites formed the aggregates-clusters with average size of 50–800 nm. Absorption spectra of Au/CdS nanocomposites consist of the bands of excitons in CdS NPs and surface plasmons in Au ones. The surface plasmon band of gold NPs is red shifted and broadened in Au/CdS/D-g-PAA nanocomposites comparing to the one of Au NPs in Au/D-g-PAA proving the fact of close location of CdS and Au NPs in the synthesized Au/CdS/D-g-PAA nanocomposites. The PL spectra of Au/CdS nanocomposites originate from the radiative transitions in excitons in CdS NPs. The 4-fold increase of intensity of free exciton PL is observed for CdS NPs in Au/CdS/D-g-PAA comparing to CdS ones in CdS/D-g-PAA that is due to PL enhancement by local field of surface plasmons of Au NPs. Also, the 12-fold decrease of intensity of localized exciton PL is observed for CdS NPs in Au/CdS/D-g-PAA comparing to CdS ones in CdS/D-g-PAA. Most probably, it is due to passivation of the surface of CdS NPs carried out by the Au ones.

  20. Unravelling Thiol’s Role in Directing Asymmetric Growth of Au Nanorod–Au Nanoparticle Dimers

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Jianfeng

    2015-12-15

    Asymmetric nanocrystals have practical significance in nanotechnologies but present fundamental synthetic challenges. Thiol ligands have proven effective in breaking the symmetric growth of metallic nanocrystals but their exact roles in the synthesis remain elusive. Here, we synthesized an unprecedented Au nanorod-Au nanoparticle (AuNR-AuNP) dimer structure with the assistance of a thiol ligand. On the basis of our experimental observations, we unraveled for the first time that the thiol could cause an inhomogeneous distribution of surface strains on the seed crystals as well as a modulated reduction rate of metal precursors, which jointly induced the asymmetric growth of monometallic dimers. © 2015 American Chemical Society.

  1. Enhancing and quenching luminescence with gold nanoparticle films: the influence of substrate on the luminescent properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guidelli, Eder José; Baffa, Oswaldo; Ramos, Ana Paula

    2016-01-01

    Gold nanoparticle (AuNP) films were sputtered over glass and aluminum substrates to enhance optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), a luminescent technique employed for radiation detection, from x-ray irradiated NaCl nanocrystals. The AuNP films deposited over glass led to enhanced-OSL emission, whereas the AuNP films deposited on aluminum substrates quenched the OSL emission. The enhanced-OSL intensity is proportional to the optical density of the film's plasmon resonance band at the stimulation wavelength. For the case of the AuNP/aluminum films, the luminescence quenching diminishes, and OSL intensity partially recovers upon increasing the distance between the AuNPs and the aluminum substrates, and between the luminescent nanocrystals and the AuNP films. These results suggest that plasmonic interactions between the emitter nanocrystals, the localized surface plasmons (LSP) of the AuNPs, and the substrate are responsible for the OSL enhancement and quenching. In this sense, the substrate dictates whether LSP relaxation occurs by radiative or non-radiative transisitions, leading to enhanced or quenched OSL, respectively. Therefore, besides showing that AuNP films can enhance and/or tune the sensitivity of luminescent radiation detectors, and demonstrating OSL as a new technique to investigate mechanisms of plasmon-enhanced luminescence, these results bring insights on how substrates strongly modify the optical properties of AuNP films. (paper)

  2. Shaping of Au nanoparticles embedded in various layered structures by swift heavy ion beam irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dawi, E.A., E-mail: elmuez.dawi@gmail.com [Ajman University of Science and Technology, Basic Science and Education, Physics Department, P.O. Box 346 (United Arab Emirates); Debye Institute for Nanomaterials, Nanophotonics Section, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht (Netherlands); ArnoldBik, W.M. [Eindhoven University of Technology, Irradiation Technology, 5600 GM Eindhoven (Netherlands); Ackermann, R.; Habraken, F.H.P.M. [Debye Institute for Nanomaterials, Nanophotonics Section, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80000, 3508 TA Utrecht (Netherlands)

    2016-10-01

    We present a novel method to extend the ion-beam induced shaping of metallic nanoparticles in various layered structures. Monodisperse Au nanoparticles having mean diameter of 30 nm and their ion-shaping process is investigated for a limited number of experimental conditions. Au nanoparticles were embedded within a single plane in various layered structures of silicon nitride films (Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}), combinations of oxide-nitride films (SiO{sub 2}-Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) and amorphous silicon films (a-Si) and have been sequentially irradiated at 300 K at normal incidence with 50 and 25 MeV Ag ions, respectively. Under irradiation with heavy Ag ions and with sequential increase of the irradiation fluence, the evolution of the Au peak derived from the Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry show broadening in Au peak, which indicates that the Au becomes distributed over a larger depth region, indicative of the elongation of the nanoparticles. The latter is observed almost for every layer structure investigated except for Au nanoparticles embedded in pure a-Si matrix. The largest elongation rate at all fluences is found for the Au nanoparticles encapsulated in pure Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} films. For all irradiation energy applied, we again demonstrate the existence of both threshold and saturation fluences for the elongation effects mentioned.

  3. Split resonance modes of a AuBRC plasmonic nanosystem caused by the coupling effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ni, Yuan; Kan, Caixia; Xu, Haiying; Wang, Changshun

    2016-01-01

    A plasmonic nanosystem can give rise to particular optical responses due to a coupling effect. In this work, we investigate the optical properties and field distributions of a novel ‘matrioska’ nanocavity structure composed of a Au nanorod (AuNR) within a nanobox (AuNB) via finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation. This nanocavity can be fabricated by a two-step wet-chemical method. The multiple SPR modes of optical spectrum for nanocavity are caused by the strong interaction between the AuNR-core and AuNB-shell when the incident light is perpendicular or parallel to the long axis of the Au box/rod nanocavity (AuBRC). The SPR modes are known as the dipole–dipole bonding resonance mode in the lower-energy region and the antibonding resonance mode in the higher-energy region. It is proposed that AuBRC can escape the orientation confinement of AuNR because the multiple modes occur and provide a potential application for the enhancement of the photoluminescence signal. Additionally, the SPR modes red-shift with increasing the offset of the AuNR-core, whereas the SPR mode dramatically blue-shifts when the conductive coupling is formed. The intense ‘hot-spot’ could be induced within a small interaction region in the conductive coupled system. The SPR line-shape of high quality would also be promoted. The SPR is highly sensitive to the medium, which is promising in the sensing and detecting devices. (paper)

  4. Study of Ag and Au Nanoparticles Synthesized by Arc Discharge in Deionized Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Der-Chi Tien

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents a study of Ag and Au nanofluids synthesized by the arc discharge method (ADM in deionized water. The metallic Ag nanoparticle (Ag0 and ionic Ag (Ag+ have played an important role in the battle against germs which are becoming more drug-resistant every year. Our study indicates that Ag nanoparticle suspension (SNPS fabricated by using ADM without added surfactants exclusively contains the metallic Ag nanoparticle and ionic Ag. Besides that, the ADM in deionized water has also been employed for the fabrication process of Au nanoparticles. The experimental results indicate that the prepared Ag nanoparticles can react with the dissolved H2CO3 in deionized water, leading to the formation of Ag2CO3. Significantly different to Ag, the prepared Au nanoparticles with their surfaces bonded by oxygen are suspended in deionized water by the formation of hydrogen bonded with the neighboring water molecules.

  5. Recent advances in the synthesis of Fe3O4@AU core/shell nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salihov, Sergei V.; Ivanenkov, Yan A.; Krechetov, Sergei P.; Veselov, Mark S.; Sviridenkova, Natalia V.; Savchenko, Alexander G.; Klyachko, Natalya L.; Golovin, Yury I.; Chufarova, Nina V.; Beloglazkina, Elena K.; Majouga, Alexander G.

    2015-01-01

    Fe 3 O 4 @Au core/shell nanoparticles have unique magnetic and optical properties. These nanoparticles are used for biomedical applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging, photothermal therapy, controlled drug delivery, protein separation, biosensors, DNA detection, and immunosensors. In this review, recent methods for the synthesis of core/shell nanoparticles are discussed. We divided all of the synthetic methods in two groups: methods of synthesis of bi-layer structures and methods of synthesis of multilayer composite structures. The latter methods have a layer of “glue” material between the core and the shell. - Highlights: • Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles are promising for biomedical applications but have some disadvantages. • Covering Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with Au shell leads to better stability and biocompatibility. • Core/shell nanoparticles are widely used for biomedical applications. • There are two types of Fe 3 O 4 @Au core/shell nanoparticles structures: bi-layer and multilayer composite. • Different synthetic methods enable production of nanoparticles of different sizes

  6. Plasmon-induced photoelectrochemical biosensor for in situ real-time measurement of biotin-streptavidin binding kinetics under visible light irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Jingchun; Oshikiri, Tomoya; Ueno, Kosei; Shi, Xu; Misawa, Hiroaki

    2017-01-01

    We developed a localized surface plasmon-induced visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor using a titanium dioxide (TiO_2) photoelectrode loaded with gold nanoislands (AuNIs) for in situ real-time measurement of biotin-streptavidin association. As a proof of concept, self-assembled thiol-terminated biotin molecules bound on a AuNIs/TiO_2 photoelectrode were successfully utilized to explore the photocurrent response to streptavidin-modified gold nanoparticle (STA-AuNP) solutions. This plasmon-induced PEC biosensor is simple and easy to miniaturize. Additionally, the PEC biosensor achieves highly sensitive measurements under only visible light irradiation and prevents the UV-induced damage of samples. Furthermore, a novel approach has been proposed to realize the real-time monitoring of biotin-STA binding affinities and kinetics by analyzing the PEC sensing characteristics. This PEC biosensor and novel analysis method could provide a new approach for the specific electrical detection and real-time kinetic measurements for clinical diagnostics and drug development. - Highlights: • A plasmon-induced visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical biosensor is developed and the system can be miniaturized.

  7. Plasmon-induced photoelectrochemical biosensor for in situ real-time measurement of biotin-streptavidin binding kinetics under visible light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Jingchun; Oshikiri, Tomoya; Ueno, Kosei; Shi, Xu [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021 (Japan); Misawa, Hiroaki, E-mail: misawa@es.hokudai.ac.jp [Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 001-0021 (Japan); Department of Applied Chemistry & Institute of Molecular Science, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China)

    2017-03-08

    We developed a localized surface plasmon-induced visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor using a titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) photoelectrode loaded with gold nanoislands (AuNIs) for in situ real-time measurement of biotin-streptavidin association. As a proof of concept, self-assembled thiol-terminated biotin molecules bound on a AuNIs/TiO{sub 2} photoelectrode were successfully utilized to explore the photocurrent response to streptavidin-modified gold nanoparticle (STA-AuNP) solutions. This plasmon-induced PEC biosensor is simple and easy to miniaturize. Additionally, the PEC biosensor achieves highly sensitive measurements under only visible light irradiation and prevents the UV-induced damage of samples. Furthermore, a novel approach has been proposed to realize the real-time monitoring of biotin-STA binding affinities and kinetics by analyzing the PEC sensing characteristics. This PEC biosensor and novel analysis method could provide a new approach for the specific electrical detection and real-time kinetic measurements for clinical diagnostics and drug development. - Highlights: • A plasmon-induced visible light-responsive photoelectrochemical biosensor is developed and the system can be miniaturized.

  8. Plasma deposition of Au-SiO2 multilayers for surface plasmon resonance based red colored coatings

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Takele Beyene, H.T.; Tichelaar, F.D.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.; Creatore, M.; Kondruweit, S.; Szyszka, B.; Pütz, J.

    2010-01-01

    Nanocomposite thin films with metallic nanoparticles embedded in a dielectric material show attractive plasmonic properties due to dielectric and quantum confinement effects. In this work. the expanding thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition in combination with radjo frequency magnetron sputtering

  9. Synthesis and Plasmonic Understanding of Core/Satellite and Core Shell Nanostructures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruan, Qifeng

    Localized surface plasmon resonance, which stems from the collective oscillations of conduction-band electrons, endows Au nanocrystals with unique optical properties. Au nanocrystals possess extremely large scattering/absorption cross-sections and enhanced local electromagnetic field, both of which are synthetically tunable. Moreover, when Au nanocrystals are closely placed or hybridized with semiconductors, the coupling and interaction between the individual components bring about more fascinating phenomena and promising applications, including plasmon-enhanced spectroscopies, solar energy harvesting, and cancer therapy. The continuous development in the field of plasmonics calls for further advancements in the preparation of high-quality plasmonic nanocrystals, the facile construction of hybrid plasmonic nanostructures with desired functionalities, as well as deeper understanding and efficient utilization of the interaction between plasmonic nanocrystals and semiconductor components. In this thesis, I developed a seed-mediated growth method for producing size-controlled Au nanospheres with high monodispersity and assembled Au nanospheres of different sizes into core/satellite nanostructures for enhancing Raman signals. For investigating the interactions between Au nanocrystals and semiconductors, I first prepared (Au core) (TiO2 shell) nanostructures, and then studied their synthetically controlled plasmonic properties and light-harvesting applications. Au nanocrystals with spherical shapes are desirable in plasmon-coupled systems owing to their high geometrical symmetry, which facilitates the analysis of electrodynamic responses in a classical electromagnetic framework and the investigation of quantum tunneling and nonlocal effects. I prepared remarkably uniform Au nanospheres with diameters ranging from 20 nm to 220 nm using a simple seed-mediated growth method associated with mild oxidation. Core/satellite nanostructures were assembled out of differently sized

  10. Surface plasmon-enhanced two-photon excited whispering-gallery modes ultraviolet laser from Zno microwire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yunpeng Wang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The two-photon excited UV laser with narrow line width and high Q value was obtained. The total internal reflection from the four side surfaces of the quadrilateral-ZnO microwire offered the whispering gallery mode (WGM resonant cavity. The UV emission, resonant mechanism, and laser mode characteristics were discussed in detail for this special type of micro-cavity. In addition, in order to enhance the power of the two-photon excited UV laser, the surface plasmon enhancement by the Au nanoparticles was also performed and explained well by the theory of the localized surface plasmon.

  11. Room-Temperature and Aqueous-Phase Synthesis of Plasmonic Molybdenum Oxide Nanoparticles for Visible-Light-Enhanced Hydrogen Generation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Jiayuan; Kuwahara, Yasutaka; Wen, Meicheng; Navlani-García, Miriam; Mori, Kohsuke; An, Taicheng; Yamashita, Hiromi

    2016-09-06

    A straightforward aqueous synthesis of MoO3-x nanoparticles at room temperature was developed by using (NH4 )6 Mo7 O24 ⋅4 H2 O and MoCl5 as precursors in the absence of reductants, inert gas, and organic solvents. SEM and TEM images indicate the as-prepared products are nanoparticles with diameters of 90-180 nm. The diffuse reflectance UV-visible-near-IR spectra of the samples indicate localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties generated by the introduction of oxygen vacancies. Owing to its strong plasmonic absorption in the visible-light and near-infrared region, such nanostructures exhibit an enhancement of activity toward visible-light catalytic hydrogen generation. MoO3-x nanoparticles synthesized with a molar ratio of Mo(VI) /Mo(V) 1:1 show the highest yield of H2 evolution. The cycling catalytic performance has been investigated to indicate the structural and chemical stability of the as-prepared plasmonic MoO3-x nanoparticles, which reveals its potential application in visible-light catalytic hydrogen production. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Kinetics of copper nanoparticle precipitation in phosphate glass: an isothermal plasmonic approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sendova, Mariana; Jiménez, José A; Smith, Robert; Rudawski, Nicholas

    2015-01-14

    The kinetics of copper nanoparticle (NP) precipitation in melt-quenched barium-phosphate glass has been studied by in situ isothermal optical micro-spectroscopy. A spectroscopically based approximation technique is proposed to obtain information about the activation energies of nucleation and growth in a narrow temperature range (530-570 °C). Pre-plasmonic and plasmonic NP precipitation stages are identified separated in time. The process as a whole is discussed employing classical nucleation/growth theory and the Kolmogorov-Johnson-Mehl-Avrami phase change model. Activation energies of 3.9(7) eV and 2.6(5) eV have been estimated for the pre-plasmonic and plasmonic spectroscopically assessed stages, respectively. High resolution transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and Raman spectroscopy were used as complementary techniques for studying the nanoparticulate phase and glass host structure. An empirical linear dependence of the diffusion activation energy on the glass transition temperature with broad applicability is suggested.

  13. Atomistic modelling of friction of Cu and Au nanoparticles adsorbed on graphene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A.V. Khomenko

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We present classical molecular dynamics calculations of the behavior of copper and gold nanoparticles on a graphene sheet, sheared with a constant applied force Fa. The force Fs acting on the particle from the substrate depends on the material of the nanoparticles (Au or Cu, and exhibits a sawtooth dependency on time, which we attribute to local commensurability between the metal nanoparticle surface atomic positions with the graphene lattice. The time-averaged value of Fs (the friction force acting on Au nanoparticles increases linearly with the contact area, having slopes close to the experimentally observable ones. A qualitative model is proposed to explain the observed results.

  14. Metamaterials and plasmonics: From nanoparticles to nanoantenna arrays, metasurfaces, and metamaterials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monticone Francesco; Alù Andrea

    2014-01-01

    The rise of plasmonic metamaterials in recent years has unveiled the possibility of revolutionizing the entire field of optics and photonics, challenging well-established technological limitations and paving the way to innovations at an unprecedented level. To capitalize the disruptive potential of this rising field of science and technology, it is important to be able to combine the richness of optical phenomena enabled by nanoplasmonics in order to realize metamaterial components, devices, and systems of increasing complexity. Here, we review a few recent research directions in the field of plasmonic metamaterials, which may foster further advancements in this research area. We will discuss the anomalous scattering features enabled by plasmonic nanoparticles and nanoclusters, and show how they may represent the fundamental building blocks of complex nanophotonic architectures. Building on these concepts, advanced components can be designed and operated, such as optical nanoantennas and nanoantenna arrays, which, in turn, may be at the basis of metasurface devices and complex systems. Following this path, from basic phenomena to advanced functionalities, the field of plasmonic metamaterials offers the promise of an important scientific and technological impact, with applications spanning from medical diagnostics to clean energy and information processing. (topical review - plasmonics and metamaterials)

  15. Size control synthesis of starch capped-gold nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tajammul Hussain, S.; Iqbal, M.; Mazhar, M.

    2009-01-01

    Metallic gold nanoparticles have been synthesized by the reduction of chloroaurate anions [AuCl 4 ] - solution with hydrazine in the aqueous starch and ethylene glycol solution at room temperature and at atmospheric pressure. The characterization of synthesized gold nanoparticles by UV-vis spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron diffraction analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-rays photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicate that average size of pure gold nanoparticles is 3.5 nm, they are spherical in shape and are pure metallic gold. The concentration effects of [AuCl 4 ] - anions, starch, ethylene glycol, and hydrazine, on particle size, were investigated, and the stabilization mechanism of Au nanoparticles by starch polymer molecules was also studied by FT-IR and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). FT-IR and TGA analysis shows that hydroxyl groups of starch are responsible of capping and stabilizing gold nanoparticles. The UV-vis spectrum of these samples shows that there is blue shift in surface plasmon resonance peak with decrease in particle size due to the quantum confinement effect, a supporting evidence of formation of gold nanoparticles and this shift remains stable even after 3 months.

  16. Fungus-mediated synthesis of gold nanoparticles and standardization of parameters for its biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tidke, Pritish R; Gupta, Indarchand; Gade, Aniket K; Rai, Mahendra

    2014-12-01

    We report the extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using a fungus Fusarium acuminatum. Mycosynthesis of Au-NPs was carried out by challenging the fungal cells filtrate with HAuCl 4 solution (1 mM), as nanoparticles synthesizing enzyme secrete extracellularly by the fungi. The AuNPs were characterized with the help of UV-Visible spectrophotometer, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, Zeta Potential, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We observed absorbance peak in between 520 nm-550 nm corresponding to the surface plasmon absorbance of the gold nanoparticles. The nanoparticles synthesized in the present investigation were found to be capped by proteins. XRD results showed that the distinctive formation of crystalline gold nanoparticles in the solution. The spherical and polydispersed AuNPs in the range 8 to 28 nm with average size of 17 nm were observed by TEM analysis. We also standardized the parameters like the effect of pH, temperature and salt concentration on the biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles. It was found that acidic pH, 1 mM salt concentration and 37 (°)C temperature were found to be optimum for the synthesis of Au-NPs. Therefore, the present study introduces the easy, better and cheaper method for biosynthesis of AuNPs.

  17. Magnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au core-shell nanostructures for surface enhanced Raman scattering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wheeler, D.A.; Adams, S.A.; Zhang, J.Z. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Lopez-Luke, T. [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 (United States); Cento de Investigaciones en Optica, A.P. 1-948 Leon, Gto. 37150 (Mexico); Torres-Castro, A. [Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, A.P. 126-F, Monterrey, NL, 66450 (Mexico)

    2012-11-15

    The synthesis, structural and optical characterization, and application of superparamagnetic and water-dispersed Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au core-shell nanoparticles for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is reported. The structure of the nanoparticles was determined by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). STEM images of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au core-shell nanoparticles reveal an average diameter of 120 nm and a high degree of surface roughness. The nanoparticles, which display superparamagnetic properties due to the core Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} material, exhibit a visible surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peaked at 580 nm due to the outer gold shell. The nanoparticles are used as a substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with rhodamine 6G (R6G) as a Raman reporter molecule. The SERS enhancement factor is estimated to be on the order of 10{sup 6}, which is {proportional_to} 2 times larger than that of conventional gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) under similar conditions. Significantly, magnetically-induced aggregation of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au core-shell nanoparticles substantially enhanced SERS activity compared to non-magnetically-aggregated Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au nanoparticles. This is attributed to both increased scattering from the aggregates as well as ''hot spots'' due to more junction sites in the magnetically-induced aggregates. The magnetic properties of the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} core, coupled with the optical properties of the Au shell, make the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Au nanoparticles unique for various potential applications including biological sensing and therapy. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  18. Collagen-chitosan scaffold modified with Au and Ag nanoparticles: Synthesis and structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rubina, M.S.; Kamitov, E.E.; Zubavichus, Ya. V.; Peters, G.S.; Naumkin, A.V.; Suzer, S.; Vasil’kov, A.Yu.

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Biocompatible collagen-chitosan scaffolds were modified by Au and Ag nanoparticles via the metal-vapor synthesis. • Structural and morphological parameters of the nanocomposites were assessed using a set of modern instrumental techniques, including electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, EXAFS, XPS. • Potential application of the nanocomposites are envisaged. - Abstract: Nowadays, the dermal biomimetic scaffolds are widely used in regenerative medicine. Collagen-chitosan scaffold one of these materials possesses antibacterial activity, good compatibility with living tissues and has been already used as a wound-healing material. In this article, collagen-chitosan scaffolds modified with Ag and Au nanoparticles have been synthesized using novel method - the metal-vapor synthesis. The nanocomposite materials are characterized by XPS, TEM, SEM and synchrotron radiation-based X-ray techniques. According to XRD data, the mean size of the nanoparticles (NPs) is 10.5 nm and 20.2 nm in Au-Collagen-Chitosan (Au-CollCh) and Ag-Collagen-Chitosan (Ag-CollCh) scaffolds, respectively in fair agreement with the TEM data. SAXS analysis of the composites reveals an asymmetric size distribution peaked at 10 nm for Au-CollCh and 25 nm for Ag-CollCh indicative of particle's aggregation. According to SEM data, the metal-carrying scaffolds have layered structure and the nanoparticles are rather uniformly distributed on the surface material. XPS data indicate that the metallic nanoparticles are in their unoxidized/neutral states and dominantly stabilized within the chitosan-rich domains.

  19. Collagen-chitosan scaffold modified with Au and Ag nanoparticles: Synthesis and structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rubina, M.S.; Kamitov, E.E. [A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russian Federation (Russian Federation); Zubavichus, Ya. V.; Peters, G.S. [National Research center «Kurchatov Institute», Moscow, 123182 Russian Federation (Russian Federation); Naumkin, A.V. [A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russian Federation (Russian Federation); Suzer, S. [Department of Chemistry, Bilkent University, Ankara, 06800 Turkey (Turkey); Vasil’kov, A.Yu., E-mail: alexandervasilkov@yandex.ru [A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russian Federation (Russian Federation)

    2016-03-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Biocompatible collagen-chitosan scaffolds were modified by Au and Ag nanoparticles via the metal-vapor synthesis. • Structural and morphological parameters of the nanocomposites were assessed using a set of modern instrumental techniques, including electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, EXAFS, XPS. • Potential application of the nanocomposites are envisaged. - Abstract: Nowadays, the dermal biomimetic scaffolds are widely used in regenerative medicine. Collagen-chitosan scaffold one of these materials possesses antibacterial activity, good compatibility with living tissues and has been already used as a wound-healing material. In this article, collagen-chitosan scaffolds modified with Ag and Au nanoparticles have been synthesized using novel method - the metal-vapor synthesis. The nanocomposite materials are characterized by XPS, TEM, SEM and synchrotron radiation-based X-ray techniques. According to XRD data, the mean size of the nanoparticles (NPs) is 10.5 nm and 20.2 nm in Au-Collagen-Chitosan (Au-CollCh) and Ag-Collagen-Chitosan (Ag-CollCh) scaffolds, respectively in fair agreement with the TEM data. SAXS analysis of the composites reveals an asymmetric size distribution peaked at 10 nm for Au-CollCh and 25 nm for Ag-CollCh indicative of particle's aggregation. According to SEM data, the metal-carrying scaffolds have layered structure and the nanoparticles are rather uniformly distributed on the surface material. XPS data indicate that the metallic nanoparticles are in their unoxidized/neutral states and dominantly stabilized within the chitosan-rich domains.

  20. Novel anti-reflection technology for GaAs single-junction solar cells using surface patterning and Au nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Youngjo; Lam, Nguyen Dinh; Kim, Kangho; Kim, Sangin; Rotermund, Fabian; Lim, Hanjo; Lee, Jaejin

    2012-07-01

    Single-junction GaAs solar cell structures were grown by low-pressure MOCVD on GaAs (100) substrates. Micro-rod arrays with diameters of 2 microm, 5 microm, and 10 microm were fabricated on the surfaces of the GaAs solar cells via photolithography and wet chemical etching. The patterned surfaces were coated with Au nanoparticles using an Au colloidal solution. Characteristics of the GaAs solar cells with and without the micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles were investigated. The short-circuit current density of the GaAs solar cell with 2 microm rod arrays and Au nanoparticles increased up to 34.9% compared to that of the reference cell without micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticles. The conversion efficiency of the GaAs solar cell that was coated with Au nanoparticles on the patterned surface with micro-rod arrays can be improved from 14.1% to 19.9% under 1 sun AM 1.5G illumination. These results show that micro-rod arrays and Au nanoparticle coating can be applied together in surface patterning to achieve a novel cost-effective anti-reflection technology.

  1. Gold nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Geraldes, Adriana N.; Oliveira, Maria Jose A.; Silva, Andressa A. da; Leal, Jessica; Batista, Jorge G.S.; Lugao, Ademar B.

    2015-01-01

    In our laboratory has been growing the interest in studying gold nanoparticles and for this reason, the aim of this work is report the first results of the effect of chitosan as stabilizer in gold nanoparticle formulation. AuNPs were synthesized by reducing hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (HAuCl 4 ) using NaBH 4 or gamma irradiation (25kGy) as reduction agent. The chitosan (3 mol L -1 ) was added at 0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 mL. The gold nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their physical stability was determined using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer over one week during storage at room temperature. Absorption measurements indicated that the plasmon resonance wavelength appears at a wavelength around 530 nm. Has been observed that Chitosan in such quantities were not effective in stabilizing the AuNPs. (author)

  2. Au/BiOCl heterojunction within mesoporous silica shell as stable plasmonic photocatalyst for efficient organic pollutants decomposition under visible light

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Xiaoqing; Zhu, Xiaohui; Li, Renhong; Chen, Wenxing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • A heterojunction of Au/BiOCl was fabricated within the mesoporous silica shell. • The compact contact between Au and BiOCl enables electrons back flow from Au to BiOCl. • Au/BiOCl@mSiO 2 plasmonic photocatalyst shows efficient visible light photoactivity. • Hydroxyl radicals are the main oxidants in formaldehyde and Rhodamine B decomposition. - Abstract: A new mesoporous silica protected plasmonic photocatalyst, Au/BiOCl@mSiO 2 , was prepared by a modified AcHE method and a subsequent UV light induced photodeposition process. The surfactant-free heterojunction allows the electrons spontaneously flow from Au to nearby BiOCl surface, leading to the accumulation of positive charges on Au surface, and negative charges on Bi species under visible light. Au/BiOCl@mSiO 2 exhibits high visible light photocatalytic efficiency in complete oxidation of aqueous formaldehyde and Rhodamin B. We showed that a positive relationship exists between the LSPR effect and rate enhancements, and leads to a hypothesis that the metallic Au LSPR enhances the photocatalytic rates on nearby semiconductors by transferring energetic electrons to BiOCl and increasing the steady-state concentration of active ·OH species by a multi-electron reduction of molecular oxygen. The ·OH species is the main oxidant in photocatalytic transformations, whose intensity is greatly enhanced in the dye-involving systems due to the synergetic effect between LSPR and dye sensitization processes. In addition, the mesoporous SiO 2 shell not only inhibits the over growth of BiOCl nanocrystals within the silica frameworks, but also protects the dissolution of chloride or Au species into aqueous solution, which ultimately makes the Au/BiOCl@mSiO 2 catalysts rather stable during photocatalysis.

  3. Core/Shell Structured Magnetic Nanoparticles for Biological Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jeong Chan; Jung, Myung Hwan

    2013-01-01

    Magnetic nanoparticles have been widely used for biomedical applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hyperthermia, drug delivery and cell signaling. The surface modification of the nanomaterials is required for biomedical use to give physiogical stability, surface reactivity and targeting properties. Among many approaches for the surface modification with materials, such as polymers, organic ligands and metals, one of the most attractive ways is using metals. The fabrication of metal-based, monolayer-coated magnetic nanoparticles has been intensively studied. However, the synthesis of metal-capped magnetic nanoparticles with monodispersities and controllable sizes is still challenged. Recently, gold-capped magnetic nanoparticles have been reported to increase stability and to provide biocompatibility. Magnetic nanoparticle with gold coating is an attractive system, which can be stabilized in biological conditions and readily functionalized in biological conditions and readily functionalized through well-established surface modification (Au-S) chemistry. The Au coating offers plasmonic properties to magnetic nanoparticles. This makes the magnetic/Au core/shell combinations interesting for magnetic and optical applications. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of gold capped-magnetic core structured nanomaterials with different gold sources, such as gold acetate and chloroauric acid have been reported. The core/shell nanoparticles were transferred from organic to aqueous solutions for biomedical applications. Magnetic core/shell structured nanoparticles have been prepared and transferred from organic phase to aqueous solutions. The resulting Au-coated magnetic core nanoparticles might be an attractive system for biomedical applications, which are needed both magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging

  4. The study of magnetic properties and relaxation processes in Co/Au bimetallic nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hrubovčák, Pavol [Department of Condensed Matter Physics, P.J. Šafárik University, Park Angelinum 9, Košice (Slovakia); Zeleňáková, Adriana, E-mail: adriana.zelenakova@upjs.sk [Department of Condensed Matter Physics, P.J. Šafárik University, Park Angelinum 9, Košice (Slovakia); Zeleňák, Vladimir [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, P.J. Šafárik University, Moyzesova 11, Košice (Slovakia); Kováč, Jozef [Institute of Experimental Physics, SAS, Watsonova 41, Košice (Slovakia)

    2015-11-15

    Co/Au bimetallic fine nanoparticles were prepared employing the method of microemulsion using reverse micelle as nanoreactor, controlling the particles size. Magnetic and structural properties of two different samples Co/Au1 and Co/Au2 with almost comparable size of Co core and different size of Au layer were studied. The investigation of magnetic relaxation processes present in the particles was carried out by means of ac and dc magnetization data obtained at different temperatures and magnitudes of magnetic field. We observed the existence of superspin glass state characterized by the strong inter-particle interactions in the nanoparticle systems. In this paper, we discuss the attributes of novel superspin glass magnetic state reflected on various features (saturated FC magnetization at low temperatures, shift of the Cole–Cole arc downwards) and calculated parameters (relaxation time, critical exponent zv ∼ 10 and frequency dependent criterion p < 0.05). Comparison of the magnetic properties of two studied samples show that the thickness of diamagnetic Au shell significantly influences the magnetic interactions and change the relaxation dynamics. - Highlights: • Co/Au fine nanoparticles prepared by reverse micelle as nanoreactor, controlling the size. • Existence of superspin glass state confirmed from ac magnetic susceptibility study. • Individual particles exhibit the collective behavior below glass temperature T{sub SSG}. • Influence of diamagnetic shell on the magnetic properties of core–shell nanoparticles.

  5. Ether gas-sensor based on Au nanoparticles-decorated ZnO microstructures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto López

    Full Text Available An ether gas-sensor was fabricated based on gold nanoparticles (Au-NPs decorated zinc oxide microstructures (ZnO-MS. Scanning electron microscope (SEM and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM measurements were performed to study morphological and structural properties, respectively, of the ZnO-MS. The gas sensing response was evaluated in a relatively low temperature regime, which ranged between 150 and 250 °C. Compared with a sensor fabricated from pure ZnO-MS, the sensor based on Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS showed much better ether gas response at the highest working temperature. In fact, pure ZnO-MS based sensor only showed a weak sensitivity of about 25%. The improvement of the ether gas response for sensor fabricated with Au-NPs decorated ZnO-MS was attributed to the catalytic activity of the Au-NPs. Keywords: ZnO microstructures, Au nanoparticles, Ether, Gas sensor

  6. Preparation of Au and Ag nanoparticles using Artemisia annua and their in vitro antibacterial and tyrosinase inhibitory activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Basavegowda, Nagaraj; Idhayadhulla, Akber; Lee, Yong Rok, E-mail: yrlee@yu.ac.kr

    2014-10-01

    This work describes a plant-mediated approach to the preparation of metal nanoparticles using leaf extract of Artemisia annua (A. annua), an ethno-medicinal plant widely found in Asia, which was used as reducing and stabilizing agent. A. annua is used in traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate fever. Au and Ag nanoparticles were prepared using a one-step aqueous method at room temperature without any toxic chemicals. The formation of Au and Ag nanoparticles was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TEM analysis of Au nanoparticles showed that they had triangular and spherical shapes with sizes ranging from 15 to 40 nm. The silver nanoparticles were predominantly spherical and uniformly sized (30–50 nm). The Au and Ag nanoparticles produced showed significant tyrosinase inhibitory and antibacterial effects. These results suggest that the synthesized nanoparticles provide good alternatives in varied medical and industrial applications. - Highlights: • Au and Ag nanoparticles were synthesized using Artemisia annua leaf aqueous extract. • Nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, TEM, EDX, XRD, and TGA. • Au and Ag nanoparticles were of size 25 and 30 nm respectively, in spherical forms. • Nanoparticles showed significant tyrosinase inhibitory and antibacterial activities.

  7. Preparation of Au and Ag nanoparticles using Artemisia annua and their in vitro antibacterial and tyrosinase inhibitory activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Basavegowda, Nagaraj; Idhayadhulla, Akber; Lee, Yong Rok

    2014-01-01

    This work describes a plant-mediated approach to the preparation of metal nanoparticles using leaf extract of Artemisia annua (A. annua), an ethno-medicinal plant widely found in Asia, which was used as reducing and stabilizing agent. A. annua is used in traditional Chinese medicine to alleviate fever. Au and Ag nanoparticles were prepared using a one-step aqueous method at room temperature without any toxic chemicals. The formation of Au and Ag nanoparticles was monitored by UV–vis spectroscopy. Synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). TEM analysis of Au nanoparticles showed that they had triangular and spherical shapes with sizes ranging from 15 to 40 nm. The silver nanoparticles were predominantly spherical and uniformly sized (30–50 nm). The Au and Ag nanoparticles produced showed significant tyrosinase inhibitory and antibacterial effects. These results suggest that the synthesized nanoparticles provide good alternatives in varied medical and industrial applications. - Highlights: • Au and Ag nanoparticles were synthesized using Artemisia annua leaf aqueous extract. • Nanoparticles were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, TEM, EDX, XRD, and TGA. • Au and Ag nanoparticles were of size 25 and 30 nm respectively, in spherical forms. • Nanoparticles showed significant tyrosinase inhibitory and antibacterial activities

  8. Facile synthesis of Au/ZnO nanoparticles and their enhanced ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Au nanoparticles act as electron buffer due to irradiation by UV light and ZnO nanoparticles as reactive sites for ... et al 2009). Doping with metals (Akyol et al 2004; Kabra et al 2004 ..... of benzene as that under visible light irradiation were ca-.

  9. Characterization of self-assembled electrodes based on Au-Pt nanoparticles for PEMFC application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valenzuela, E. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Sebastian, P.J. [Politecnica Univ. de Chiapas, Chiapas (Mexico). Energia y Sustentabilidad; Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Gamboa, S.A. [Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Morelos (Mexico); Pal, U. [Inst. de Fisica, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla Univ., Puebla (Mexico). Inst. de Fisica; Gonzalez, I. [Autonoma Metropolitana Univ. (Mexico). Dept. de Quimica

    2008-07-01

    This paper reported on a study in which membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) were fabricated by depositing Au, Pt and AuPt nanoparticles on Nafion 115 membrane for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). A Rotating Disc Electrode (RDE) was used to measure the nanoparticle catalyst activity. After deposition of the nanoparticles on the membrane, the surface was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The membrane proton conduction process was studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) with the 4 probe technique. The MEAs fabricated with Nafion/Metal membranes were evaluated in a PEMFC under standard conditions. Colloidal solutions were used to prepare self-assembled electrodes with nanoparticles deposited on Nafion membrane. The particles deposited on Nafion showed good stability and had homogeneous distribution along the membrane surface. The impedance results revealed an increase in the membrane proton resistance of the self-assembled electrodes compared to unmodified Nafion. The Au-Pt nanoparticles were obtained by chemical reduction. The nanoparticle size in the three systems was about 2 nm. The self-assembled electrodes performed well in standard conditions. The optimum colloidal concentration and immersion time must be determined in order to obtain good catalytic activity and high membrane conductance. The self-assembled Nafion/AuPt had the best open circuit potential (887 mV). The Au and Pt self-assemblies showed a similar performance in terms of maximum power and maximum current density. The performance of the Nafion/Au self-assembly was influenced more by ohmic losses, particularly in the membrane. The maximum power generation was obtained at 0.35 V. The mass transport losses increased after this value, thereby affecting the efficiency of the PEMFC. 2 figs.

  10. Calculation and measurement of radiation corrections for plasmon resonances in nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hung, L.; Lee, S. Y.; McGovern, O.; Rabin, O.; Mayergoyz, I.

    2013-08-01

    The problem of plasmon resonances in metallic nanoparticles can be formulated as an eigenvalue problem under the condition that the wavelengths of the incident radiation are much larger than the particle dimensions. As the nanoparticle size increases, the quasistatic condition is no longer valid. For this reason, the accuracy of the electrostatic approximation may be compromised and appropriate radiation corrections for the calculation of resonance permittivities and resonance wavelengths are needed. In this paper, we present the radiation corrections in the framework of the eigenvalue method for plasmon mode analysis and demonstrate that the computational results accurately match analytical solutions (for nanospheres) and experimental data (for nanorings and nanocubes). We also demonstrate that the optical spectra of silver nanocube suspensions can be fully assigned to dipole-type resonance modes when radiation corrections are introduced. Finally, our method is used to predict the resonance wavelengths for face-to-face silver nanocube dimers on glass substrates. These results may be useful for the indirect measurements of the gaps in the dimers from extinction cross-section observations.

  11. Morphological effects on the selectivity of intramolecular versus intermolecular catalytic reaction on Au nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dan; Sun, Yuanmiao; Sun, Yinghui; Huang, Jing; Liang, Zhiqiang; Li, Shuzhou; Jiang, Lin

    2017-06-14

    It is hard for metal nanoparticle catalysts to control the selectivity of a catalytic reaction in a simple process. In this work, we obtain active Au nanoparticle catalysts with high selectivity for the hydrogenation reaction of aromatic nitro compounds, by simply employing spine-like Au nanoparticles. The density functional theory (DFT) calculations further elucidate that the morphological effect on thermal selectivity control is an internal key parameter to modulate the nitro hydrogenation process on the surface of Au spines. These results show that controlled morphological effects may play an important role in catalysis reactions of noble metal NPs with high selectivity.

  12. Effects of Au/Fe and Fe nanoparticles on Serratia bacterial growth and production of biosurfactant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Jia; Vipulanandan, Cumaraswamy

    2013-01-01

    The overall objective of this study was to compare the effects of Au/Fe and Fe nanoparticles on the growth and performance of Serratia Jl0300. The nanoparticle effect was quantified not only by the bacterial growth on agar plate after 1 hour interaction with the nanoparticles, but also by its production of a biosurfactant from used vegetable oil. The nanoparticles were prepared using the foam method. The concentrations of the nanoparticles used for the bacterial interaction study were varied from 1 mg/L to 1 g/L. The test results showed that the effect of nanoparticles on the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production varied with nanoparticle type, concentrations, and interaction time with the bacteria. Au/Fe nanoparticles didn't show toxicity to Serratia after short time (1 h) exposure, while during 8 days fermentation Au/Fe nanoparticles inhibited the growth of Serratia as well as the biosurfactant production when the concentration of the nanoparticles was higher than 10 mg/L. Fe nanoparticles showed inhibition effects to bacterial growth both after short time and long time interaction with Serratia, as well as to biosurfactant production when its concentration was higher than 100 mg/L. Based on the trends observed in this study, analytical models have been developed to predict the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production with varying concentrations of nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Modeled the effect of nanoparticles on the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production. • Effects of Au/Fe nonoparticles on Serratia Bacterial Growth and Production of Biosurfactant. • Scanning Electron Micrograph of bacteria-nanoparticles interaction

  13. Effects of Au/Fe and Fe nanoparticles on Serratia bacterial growth and production of biosurfactant

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Jia; Vipulanandan, Cumaraswamy, E-mail: cvipulanandan@uh.edu

    2013-10-15

    The overall objective of this study was to compare the effects of Au/Fe and Fe nanoparticles on the growth and performance of Serratia Jl0300. The nanoparticle effect was quantified not only by the bacterial growth on agar plate after 1 hour interaction with the nanoparticles, but also by its production of a biosurfactant from used vegetable oil. The nanoparticles were prepared using the foam method. The concentrations of the nanoparticles used for the bacterial interaction study were varied from 1 mg/L to 1 g/L. The test results showed that the effect of nanoparticles on the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production varied with nanoparticle type, concentrations, and interaction time with the bacteria. Au/Fe nanoparticles didn't show toxicity to Serratia after short time (1 h) exposure, while during 8 days fermentation Au/Fe nanoparticles inhibited the growth of Serratia as well as the biosurfactant production when the concentration of the nanoparticles was higher than 10 mg/L. Fe nanoparticles showed inhibition effects to bacterial growth both after short time and long time interaction with Serratia, as well as to biosurfactant production when its concentration was higher than 100 mg/L. Based on the trends observed in this study, analytical models have been developed to predict the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production with varying concentrations of nanoparticles. - Highlights: • Modeled the effect of nanoparticles on the bacterial growth and biosurfactant production. • Effects of Au/Fe nonoparticles on Serratia Bacterial Growth and Production of Biosurfactant. • Scanning Electron Micrograph of bacteria-nanoparticles interaction.

  14. Anisotropic gold nanoparticles: synthesis, properties, applications, and toxicity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Na; Zhao, Pengxiang; Astruc, Didier

    2014-02-10

    Anisotropic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have attracted the interest of scientists for over a century, but research in this field has considerably accelerated since 2000 with the synthesis of numerous 1D, 2D, and 3D shapes as well as hollow AuNP structures. The anisotropy of these nonspherical, hollow, and nanoshell AuNP structures is the source of the plasmon absorption in the visible region as well as in the near-infrared (NIR) region. This NIR absorption is especially sensitive to the AuNP shape and medium and can be shifted towards the part of the NIR region in which living tissue shows minimum absorption. This has led to crucial applications in medical diagnostics and therapy ("theranostics"), especially with Au nanoshells, nanorods, hollow nanospheres, and nanocubes. In addition, Au nanowires (AuNWs) can be synthesized with longitudinal dimensions of several tens of micrometers and can serve as plasmon waveguides for sophisticated optical devices. The application of anisotropic AuNPs has rapidly spread to optical, biomedical, and catalytic areas. In this Review, a brief historical survey is given, followed by a summary of the synthetic modes, variety of shapes, applications, and toxicity issues of this fast-growing class of nanomaterials. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Evolution of the surface plasmon resonance of Au:TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite thin films with annealing temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Borges, J., E-mail: joelborges@fisica.uminho.pt [Universidade do Minho, Centro/Departamento de Física (Portugal); Buljan, M.; Sancho-Parramon, J.; Bogdanovic-Radovic, I.; Siketic, Z. [Rudjer Boskovic Institute (Croatia); Scherer, T.; Kübel, C. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility - KNMF (Germany); Bernstorff, S. [Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy); Cavaleiro, A. [University of Coimbra, SEG-CEMUC, Mechanical Engineering Department (Portugal); Vaz, F.; Rolo, A. G. [Universidade do Minho, Centro/Departamento de Física (Portugal)

    2014-12-15

    This paper reports on the changes in the structural and morphological features occurring in a particular type of nanocomposite thin-film system, composed of Au nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed in a host TiO{sub 2} dielectric matrix. The structural and morphological changes, promoted by in-vacuum annealing experiments of the as-deposited thin films at different temperatures (ranging from 200 to 800 °C), resulted in a well-known localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) phenomenon, which gave rise to a set of different optical responses that can be tailored for a wide number of applications, including those for optical-based sensors. The results show that the annealing experiments enabled a gradual increase of the mean grain size of the Au NPs (from 2 to 23 nm), and changes in their distributions and separations within the dielectric matrix. For higher annealing temperatures of the as-deposited films, a broad size distribution of Au NPs was found (sizes up to 100 nm). The structural conditions necessary to produce LSPR activity were found to occur for annealing experiments above 300 °C, which corresponded to the crystallization of the gold NPs, with an average size strongly dependent on the annealing temperature itself. The main factor for the promotion of LSPR was the growth of gold NPs and their redistribution throughout the host matrix. On the other hand, the host matrix started to crystallize at an annealing temperature of about 500 °C, which is an important parameter to explain the shift of the LSPR peak position to longer wavelengths, i.e. a red-shift.

  16. Rapid one-pot propargylamine synthesis by plasmon mediated catalysis with gold nanoparticles on ZnO under ambient conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Béjar, María; Peters, Kate; Hallett-Tapley, Geniece L; Grenier, Michel; Scaiano, Juan C

    2013-02-28

    Surface plasmon excitation of gold nanoparticles on ZnO in the presence of an aldehyde, an amine and phenylacetylene led to rapid and selective formation of propargylamines with good yields (50-95%) at room temperature. Plasmon mediated catalysis is the best available route for this ternary coupling.

  17. Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Dedicated to the memory of the late Professor S K Rangarajan. *For correspondence. Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel network for sensor .... An immediate colour change was observed for the mixed solution, indicating the dis- persion of metal nanoparticles in the MTMOS sol– gel matrix.

  18. Optical Properties of Linoleic Acid Protected Gold Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ratan Das

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Linoleic acid-protected gold nanoparticles have been synthesized through the chemical reduction of tetrachloroaurate ions by ethanol in presence of sodium linoleate. The structure of these nanoparticles is investigated using transmission electron microscopy, which shows that the Au nanoparticles are spherical in shape with a narrow size distribution which ranges from 8 to 15 nm. Colloidal dispersion of gold nanoparticles in cyclohexane exhibits absorption bands in the ultraviolet-visible range due to surface plasmon resonance, with absorption maximum at 530 nm. Fluorescence spectra of gold nanoparticles also show an emission peak at 610 nm when illuminated at 450 nm. UV-Vis spectroscopy reveals that these nanoparticles remain stable for 10 days.

  19. Effect of Au nano-particles doping on polycrystalline YBCO high temperature superconductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dadras, Sedigheh, E-mail: dadras@alzahra.ac.ir; Gharehgazloo, Zahra

    2016-07-01

    In this research, we prepared different Au nanoparticles (0.1–2 wt%) doped YBCO high temperature superconductor samples by sol-gel method. To characterize the samples, we used X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis. Results show the formation of orthorhombic phase of superconductivity for all prepared samples. We observed that by adding Au nanoparticles, the grains' size of the samples reduces from 76 nm to 47 nm as well. The critical current density (J{sub c}) and transition temperature (T{sub c}) were determined using current versus voltage (I–V) and resistivity versus temperature (ρ-T) measurements, respectively. We found that by increasing Au nanoparticles in the compound, in comparison to the pure YBCO sample, the transition temperature, pinning energy and critical current density will increase. Also, the highest J{sub c} is for 1 wt% Au doped YBCO compound that its critical current density is about 8 times more than the J{sub c} of pure one in 0.7 T magnetic field.

  20. Stabilization of Pt nanoparticles by single stranded DNA and the binary assembly of Au and Pt nanoparticles without hybridization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, J.; Lee, Jim Yang; Too, Heng-Phon; Chow, Gan-Moog; Gan, Leong M.

    2006-01-01

    The non-specific interaction between single stranded DNA (ssDNA) and 12 nm Pt nanoparticles is investigated in this work. The data show a strong and non-specific interaction between the two which can be exploited for the stabilization of Pt nanoparticles in aqueous solutions. Based on the experimental findings, a non-hybridization based protocol to assemble 17 nm Au and Pt nanoparticles (12 nm cubic and 3.6 nm spherical) by single-stranded DNA was developed. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy confirmed that Au and Pt nanoparticles could be assembled by the non-specific interaction in an orderly manner. The experimental results also caution against the potential pitfalls in using DNA melting point analysis to infer metal nanoparticle assembly by DNA hybridization

  1. Atomistic Simulations of Functional Au-144(SR)(60) Gold Nanoparticles in Aqueous Environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Heikkila, E.; Gurtovenko, A. A.; Martinez-Seara, H.

    2012-01-01

    and Cl-/Na+ counterions, respectively. The radial distribution functions show that the side chains and terminal groups show significant flexibility. The orientation of water is distinct in the first solvation shell, and AuNPs cause a long-range effect in the solvent structure. The radial electrostatic...... of the nanoparticle together with surrounding ions and water. We focus on Au-144 nanoparticles that comprise a nearly spherical Au core (diameter similar to 2 nm), a passivating Au-S interface, and functionalized alkanethiol chains. Cationic and anionic AuNPs have been modeled with amine and carboxyl terminal groups...... in aqueous solutions. They suggest that electrostatics is one of the central factors in complexation of AuNPs with other nanomaterials and biological systems, and that effects of electrostatics as water-mediated interactions are relatively long-ranged, which likely plays a role in, e.g., the interplay...

  2. Colloidal gold nanoparticles. Synthesis, characterization and effect in polymer/fullerene solar cells; Kolloidale Goldnanopartikel. Synthese, Charakterisierung und Wirkung in Polymer/Fulleren-Solarzellen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Topp, Katja

    2011-06-08

    It has been reported in the literature that the efficiency of polymer/fullerene solar cells has been improved by the incorporation of Au nanoparticles. The improvement was attributed to an enhanced electrical conductivity of the active layer and to an enhanced light absorption due to the plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticles. In this work colloidal Au nanoparticles coated with different stabilizing ligands were synthesized and characterized. Then the impact of their incorporation into P3HT/PCBM solar cells was studied. On the one hand the Au nanoparticles were incorporated into the bulk heterojunction active layer, otherwise they were deposited as an interlayer in the device set-up. No improvement of the solar cell efficiency could be observed neither for the incorporation of Au nanoparticles with isolating ligand shell nor for those with direct contact to the photoactive molecules. The efficiency even dropped, the more the higher the concentration of the Au nanoparticles was. Possible reasons are pointed out on the basis of detailed photophysical and structural investigations.

  3. Plasmon-exciton-polariton lasing

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramezani, M.; Halpin, A.; Fernández-Dominguez, A.I.; Feist, J.; Rodriguez, S.R.K.; Gómez-Rivas, J.; Garcia-Vidal, F.J.

    2016-01-01

    Strong coupling of Frenkel excitons with surface plasmons leads to the formation of bosonic quasi-particles known as plasmon-exciton-polaritons (PEPs).Localized surface plasmons in nanoparticles are lossy due to radiative and nonradiative decays, which has hampered the realization of polariton

  4. Electromagnetic energy transport in nanoparticle chains via dark plasmon modes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solis, David; Willingham, Britain; Nauert, Scott L; Slaughter, Liane S; Olson, Jana; Swanglap, Pattanawit; Paul, Aniruddha; Chang, Wei-Shun; Link, Stephan

    2012-03-14

    Using light to exchange information offers large bandwidths and high speeds, but the miniaturization of optical components is limited by diffraction. Converting light into electron waves in metals allows one to overcome this problem. However, metals are lossy at optical frequencies and large-area fabrication of nanometer-sized structures by conventional top-down methods can be cost-prohibitive. We show electromagnetic energy transport with gold nanoparticles that were assembled into close-packed linear chains. The small interparticle distances enabled strong electromagnetic coupling causing the formation of low-loss subradiant plasmons, which facilitated energy propagation over many micrometers. Electrodynamic calculations confirmed the dark nature of the propagating mode and showed that disorder in the nanoparticle arrangement enhances energy transport, demonstrating the viability of using bottom-up nanoparticle assemblies for ultracompact opto-electronic devices. © 2012 American Chemical Society

  5. Plasmon assisted optical trapping: fundamentals and biomedical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafetinides, Alexandros A.; Makropoulou, Mersini; Tsigaridas, Georgios N.; Gousetis, Anastasios

    2015-01-01

    The field of optical trapping has dramatically grown due to implementation in various arenas including physics, biology, medicine and nanotechnology. Certainly, optical tweezers are an invaluable tool to manipulate a variation of particles, such as small dielectric spheres, cells, bacteria, chromosomes and even genes, by highly focused laser beams through microscope. As the main disadvantage of the conventional optical trapping systems is the diffraction limit of the incident light, plasmon assisted nanotrapping is reported as a suitable technique for trapping sub-wavelength metallic or dielectric particles. In this work, firstly, we report briefly on the basic theory of plasmon excitation, focusing on the interaction of nanoscale metallic structures with laser light. Secondly, experimental and numerical simulation results are also presented, demonstrating enhancement of the trapping efficiency of glass or SiO2 substrates, coated with Au and Ag nanostructures, with or without nanoparticles. The optical forces were calculated by measuring the particle's escape velocity calibration method. Finally, representative applications of plasmon assisted optical trapping are reviewed, from cancer therapeutics to fundamental biology and cell nanosurgery.

  6. Mechanism of giant enhancement of light emission from Au/CdSe nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsieh, Y-P; Liang, C-T; Chen, Y-F; Lai, C-W; Chou, P-T

    2007-01-01

    Based on the enhanced electron-hole recombination rate generated by surface plasmon (SP) waves of Au nanoparticles (NPs) and electrons transferred from CdSe quantum dots (QDs) to Au NPs, we propose a mechanism to elucidate the luminescent behavior in Au and CdSe nanocomposites. With our proposed model, the enhancement of the spectrally integrated PL intensity can be manipulated by up to a factor of ∼33, the largest value ever reported. Our study can be used to clarify the ambiguity in controlling the light emission enhancement and quenching of semiconductor nanocrystals coupled with the SP waves of metal NPs. It should be very useful for the creation of highly efficient solid-state emitters

  7. Sonochemical synthesis, structure and magnetic properties of air-stable Fe3O4/Au nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Wei; He Quanguo; Chen Hong; Tang Jianxin; Nie Libo

    2007-01-01

    Air-stable nanoparticles of Fe 3 O 4 /Au were prepared via sonolysis of a solution mixture of hydrogen tetrachloroaureate(III) trihydrate (HAuCl 4 ) and (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES)-coated Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles with further drop-addition of sodium citrate. The Fe 3 O 4 /Au nanoparticles were characterized by x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometry. Nanoparticles of Fe 3 O 4 /Au obtained under appropriate conditions possess a very high saturation magnetization of about 63 emu g -1 and their average diameter is about 30 nm

  8. Surface plasmon resonance sensor based on golden nanoparticles and cold vapour generation technique for the detection of mercury in aqueous samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castillo, Jimmy; Chirinos, José; Gutiérrez, Héctor; La Cruz, Marie

    2017-09-01

    In this work, a surface plasmon resonance sensor for determination of Hg based on golden nanoparticles was developed. The sensor follows the change of the signal from solutions in contact with atomic mercury previously generated by the reaction with sodium borohydride. Mie theory predicts that Hg film, as low as 5 nm, induced a significant reduction of the surface plasmon resonance signal of 40 nm golden nanoparticles. This property was used for quantification purposes in the sensor. The device provide limits of detection of 172 ng/L that can compared with the 91 ng/L obtained with atomic fluorescence, a common technique used for Hg quantification in drinking water. This result was relevant, considering that it was not necessary to functionalize the nanoparticles or use nanoparticles deposited in a substrate. Also, thanks that Hg is released from the matrix, the surface plasmon resonance signal was not affected by concomitant elements in the sample.

  9. Inkjet-Printed Biofunctional Thermo-Plasmonic Interfaces for Patterned Neuromodulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Hongki; Lee, Gu-Haeng; Jung, Hyunjun; Lee, Jee Woong; Nam, Yoonkey

    2018-02-27

    Localized heat generation by the thermo-plasmonic effect of metal nanoparticles has great potential in biomedical engineering research. Precise patterning of the nanoparticles using inkjet printing can enable the application of the thermo-plasmonic effect in a well-controlled way (shape and intensity). However, a universally applicable inkjet printing process that allows good control in patterning and assembly of nanoparticles with good biocompatibility is missing. Here we developed inkjet-printing-based biofunctional thermo-plasmonic interfaces that can modulate biological activities. We found that inkjet printing of plasmonic nanoparticles on a polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer substrate coating enables high-quality, biocompatible thermo-plasmonic interfaces across various substrates (rigid/flexible, hydrophobic/hydrophilic) by induced contact line pinning and electrostatically assisted nanoparticle assembly. We experimentally confirmed that the generated heat from the inkjet-printed thermo-plasmonic patterns can be applied in micrometer resolution over a large area. Lastly, we demonstrated that the patterned thermo-plasmonic effect from the inkjet-printed gold nanorods can selectively modulate neuronal network activities. This inkjet printing process therefore can be a universal method for biofunctional thermo-plasmonic interfaces in various bioengineering applications.

  10. A time-dependent density functional theory investigation of plasmon resonances of linear Au atomic chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Dan-Dan; Zhang Hong

    2011-01-01

    We report theoretical studies on the plasmon resonances in linear Au atomic chains by using ab initio time-dependent density functional theory. The dipole responses are investigated each as a function of chain length. They converge into a single resonance in the longitudinal mode but split into two transverse modes. As the chain length increases, the longitudinal plasmon mode is redshifted in energy while the transverse modes shift in the opposite direction (blueshifts). In addition, the energy gap between the two transverse modes reduces with chain length increasing. We find that there are unique characteristics, different from those of other metallic chains. These characteristics are crucial to atomic-scale engineering of single-molecule sensing, optical spectroscopy, and so on. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

  11. Understanding promotion of photocatalytic activity of TiO2 by Au nanoparticles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Amrollahi Buky, Rezvaneh; Hamdy, Mohamed S.; Mul, Guido

    2014-01-01

    Au nanoparticles prepared by deposition–precipitation were evaluated in promoting photocatalytic activity of TiO2 (P25) in the oxidation of methylcyclohexane. At 375 nm and in particular at 425 nm, Au was found to significantly enhance the rate induced by P25. Illumination of Au-promoted P25 at 525

  12. Plasmonic resonance-enhanced local photothermal energy deposition by aluminum nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chong Xinyuan; Jiang Naibo; Zhang Zhili; Roy, Sukesh; Gord, James R.

    2013-01-01

    Local energy deposition of aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) by localized surface plasmon resonance-enhanced photothermal effects is demonstrated. Low-power light stimuli are efficiently and locally concentrated to trigger the oxidation reactions of Al NPs because of the large ohmic absorption and high reactivity of the Al. Numerical simulations show that both ultraviolet and visible light are more efficient than infrared light for photothermal energy coupling. The natural oxidation layer of alumina is found to have minimum impact on the energy deposition because of its negligible dielectric losses. The near-field distributions of the electric field indicate that slight aggregation induces much higher local enhancement, especially at the interface region of multiple contacting nanoparticles.

  13. E-beam deposited Ag-nanoparticles plasmonic organic solar cell and its absorption enhancement analysis using FDTD-based cylindrical nano-particle optical model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Richard S; Zhu, Jinfeng; Park, Jeung Hun; Li, Lu; Yu, Zhibin; Shen, Huajun; Xue, Mei; Wang, Kang L; Park, Gyechoon; Anderson, Timothy J; Pei, Qibing

    2012-06-04

    We report the plasmon-assisted photocurrent enhancement in Ag-nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) embedded PEDOT:PSS/P3HT:PCBM organic solar cells, and systematically investigate the causes of the improved optical absorption based on a cylindrical Ag-NPs optical model which is simulated with a 3-Dimensional finite difference time domain (FDTD) method. The proposed cylindrical Ag-NPs optical model is able to explain the optical absorption enhancement by the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) modes, and to provide a further understanding of Ag-NPs shape parameters which play an important role to determine the broadband absorption phenomena in plasmonic organic solar cells. A significant increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the plasmonic solar cell was experimentally observed and compared with that of the solar cells without Ag-NPs. Finally, our conclusion was made after briefly discussing the electrical effects of the fabricated plasmonic organic solar cells.

  14. Conduction and reversible memory phenomena in Au-nanoparticles-incorporated TeO{sub 2}–ZnO films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bontempo, L., E-mail: bontempo@usp.br [Laboratório de Sistemas Integráveis, Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 158, Travessa 3, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Laboratório de Materiais Fotônicos e Optoeletrônicos, Faculdade de Tecnologia de São Paulo, Praça Cel. Fernando Prestes, 30, 01124-060 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Santos Filho, S.G. dos, E-mail: sgsantos@usp.br [Laboratório de Sistemas Integráveis, Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Luciano Gualberto, 158, Travessa 3, 05508-900 São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Kassab, L.R.P., E-mail: kassablm@osite.com.br [Laboratório de Materiais Fotônicos e Optoeletrônicos, Faculdade de Tecnologia de São Paulo, Praça Cel. Fernando Prestes, 30, 01124-060 São Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2016-07-29

    A reversible memory behavior in TeO{sub 2}–ZnO thin films containing Au nanoparticles prepared using the sputtering technique has been observed. The current–voltage characteristics of the films, having Al and Si as electrodes, showed a switching behavior starting from an initial state of low conductivity to a high conductivity one. As a result, an abrupt increase of current (10{sup −7} to 10{sup −3} A) was observed for 6.5 V (100 nm thickness). Au nanoparticles provide a larger electron storage capability, and do not favor the transport through the insulator; they present a higher trapped charge concentration, which reduces the leakage current to lower levels. The influence of the Au nanoparticle diameter and volumetric concentration to reach the abrupt current transition and the value of the transition voltage was studied. These parameters were found to play an important role on reversible memory phenomena as they determine the facility/difficulty to fill and saturate the traps (Au nanoparticles) with electrons. - Highlights: • TeO{sub 2}–ZnO thin films with Au nanoparticles grown by magnetron co-sputtering for memory devices • Nucleation of gold nanoparticles by annealing process • Electrical properties of TeO{sub 2}–ZnO thin films with and without gold nanoparticles • Reversible memory phenomenum in Au-nanoparticles-incorporated TeO{sub 2}–ZnO thin films.

  15. The characteristics and mechanisms of Au nanoparticles processed by functional centrifugal procedures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiau, Bo-Wen; Lin, Chien-Hung; Liao, Ying-Yen; Lee, Ya-Rong; Liu, Shih-Hao; Ding, Wei-Cheng; Lee, Jia-Ren

    2018-05-01

    In this work, the optical properties of Au nanoparticles processed by centrifugation techniques are studied. Most of the literature related to the control of nanoparticle size has focused on different preparation parameters; however, the wide size distribution is commonly an issue for follow-up investigations and further applications. Therefore, we developed a method in which specific-diameter particles can be effectively separated using different centrifugal procedures. The initial nanoparticle solution with a primary absorption peak at 534 nm is separated into discernible resonance wavelengths from 526 to 537 nm, with corresponding particle sizes from 30 to 55 nm. For the atomic force microscopy analysis of nanoparticle size, a dry cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) film often covers the particles and interferes with the measurement; thus, CTAB has to be removed. However, if too much CTAB is removed, the surface of the Au nanoparticle becomes unstable, and the particles aggregate. Accordingly, we used UV spectroscopy to monitor the CTAB content; properly adjust the rotational speed and the number of centrifugation stages; and design a method that can effectively remove impurities, avoid clustering, and enable particle size measurement. The usually complicated procedures and high cost of preparation of specific-size Au nanoparticles are greatly simplified and reduced by the convenient extraction process proposed in this work, which would benefit related research and applications.

  16. Systematic control of edge length, tip sharpness, thickness, and localized surface plasmon resonance of triangular Au nanoprisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Noda, Yuta; Hayakawa, Tomokatsu, E-mail: hayatomo@nitech.ac.jp [Nagoya Institute of Technology, Department of Frontier Materials, Field of Advanced Energy Conversion (Japan)

    2016-10-15

    Triangular gold (Au) nanoprisms of various sizes were synthesized in a controlled way using a modified three-step seed-mediated method with different volumes of starting seed solution and subsequent first step’s growth solution. The structures and optical properties of the triangular Au nanoprisms were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy, and UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry. The Au nanoprisms synthesized also varied in optical response frequency of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) owing to electric dipole polarizations of the Au nanoprisms. This variation depended nonlinearly on the volume of the seed solution. From optical extinction spectra and careful TEM observations, the dipole LSPR peak frequency was found to be linearly proportional to the edge length of the Au nanoprisms. Consequently, it was experimentally shown that the LSPR optical response frequency of their colloidal solutions could be controlled in the near-infrared region (700–1200 nm), corresponding to an edge length of 40–180 nm of the Au nanoprisms. It was also demonstrated that the tip sharpness of triangular Au nanoprisms was improved by using fine Au seeds instead of coarse Au seeds, and the resulting Au nanoprisms were smaller and thinner. A formation mechanism of triangular Au nanoprisms shall also be discussed with a prospect of synthesizing very tiny Au nanoprisms.Graphical Abstract.

  17. Plasmonic response and transformation mechanism upon single laser exposure of metal discontinuous films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodríguez, C.E. [Laser Processing Group, Instituto de Óptica, CSIC, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Peláez, R.J., E-mail: rpelaez@io.cfmac.csic.es [Laser Processing Group, Instituto de Óptica, CSIC, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Afonso, C.N. [Laser Processing Group, Instituto de Óptica, CSIC, Serrano 121, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Riedel, S.; Leiderer, P. [Faculty of Physics, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78457 Konstanz (Germany); Jimenez-Rey, D.; Font, A. Climent- [Centro de Micro-Análisis de Materiales (CMAM) and Departamento de Física Aplicada, University Autonoma Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

    2014-05-01

    Ag and Au discontinuous films were exposed to single nanosecond pulses of a homogenized beam of an excimer laser operating at 193 nm. For low fluences, the films convert into big, almost spherical and isolated nanoparticles (NPs) due to laser-induced dewetting. Their optical response exhibits a sharp surface plasmon resonance (SPR) consistent with that of spherical and non-interacting NPs. For higher fluences, the formation of many small NPs and almost no big NPs is observed instead. The SPR features change and the plasmonic response becomes influenced by multipolar interactions among neighbouring NPs. Low and high fluence regimes are respectively related to melting and boiling threshold of the metal, and additionally, craters appear in the latter regime.

  18. Silver nanoparticles plasmonic effect on eosin and rhodamine 6G luminescence in various media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samusev, Ilia G.; Tikhomirova, Nadezhda S.; Slezhkin, Vasiliy A.; Zyubin, Andrey Yu.; Bryukhanov, Valery V.; Tsibulnikova, Anna V.

    2016-11-01

    The plasmonic enhancement and quenching of phosphorescence and fluorescence of the anionic (eosin) and cationic (rhodamine 6G) dyes have been studied in various environments: silver nanoparticles of silver hydrosol citrate in water, in polymer films and on the surface of nanoporous silica in order to determine the kinetic and spectral effects on the dye luminescence. Depending on the silver nanoparticles concentration both the enhancement and quenching of the dyes phosphorescence and fluorescence have been detected. The mechanism of interaction between the excited molecules and silver nanoparticles has been discussed.

  19. Physics Based Investigations of DNA Supercoiling and of Plasmonic Nanoparticles for Photothermal Cancer Therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørregaard, Kamilla

    into subcutaneous tumor xenografts in mice. To better understand the photo-physical properties, the plasmonic heating of the resonant and non-resonant nanoparticles was also compared using an in vitro temperature sensitive assay. This assay enabled measurements of the heat generation of single NIR irradiated...... nanoparticles and con rmed that the resonant silica-gold nanoshells were superior to the non-resonant nanoparticles. These ndings were in agreement with numerical photo-absorption calculations. The presented comparative study is a novel strategy to quantify the photothermal e ect at a single particle level...

  20. Highly sensitive and rapid bacteria detection using molecular beacon-Au nanoparticles hybrid nanoprobes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Jing; Feng, Chao; Liu, Yan; Wang, Shouyu; Liu, Fei

    2014-07-15

    Since many diseases are caused by pathogenic bacterial infections, accurate and rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria is in urgent need to timely apply appropriate treatments and to reduce economic costs. To end this, we designed molecular beacon-Au nanoparticle hybrid nanoprobes to improve the bacterial detection efficiency and sensitivity. Here, we show that the designed molecular beacon modified Au nanoparticles could specifically recognize synthetic DNAs targets and can readily detect targets in clinical samples. Moreover, the hybrid nanoprobes can recognize Escherichia coli within an hour at a concentration of 10(2) cfu/ml, which is 1000-folds sensitive than using molecular beacon directly. Our results show that the molecular beacon-Au nanoparticle hybrid nanoprobes have great potential in medical and biological applications. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Positronic probe of vacancy defects on surfaces of Au nanoparticles embedded in MgO

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Jun; Moxom, J.; Somieski, B.; White, C. W.; Mills, A. P.; Suzuki, R.; Ishibashi, S.

    2001-01-01

    Clusters of four atomic vacancies were found in Au nanoparticle-embedded MgO by positron lifetime spectroscopy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 4586 (1999)]. These clusters were also suggested to locate at the surface of Au nanoparticles by one-detector measurements of Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation. In this work we provide evidence, using two-detector coincidence experiments of Doppler broadening (2D-DBAR), to clarify that these vacancy clusters reside on the surfaces of Au nanoparticles. This work also demonstrates a method for identifying defects at nanomaterials interfaces: a combination of both positron lifetime spectroscopy, which tells the type of the defects, and 2D-DBAR measurements, which reveals chemical environment of the defects

  2. Positronic probe of vacancy defects on surfaces of Au nanoparticles embedded in MgO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jun; Moxom, J.; Somieski, B.; White, C. W.; Mills, A. P., Jr.; Suzuki, R.; Ishibashi, S.

    2001-09-01

    Clusters of four atomic vacancies were found in Au nanoparticle-embedded MgO by positron lifetime spectroscopy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 4586 (1999)]. These clusters were also suggested to locate at the surface of Au nanoparticles by one-detector measurements of Doppler broadening of annihilation radiation. In this work we provide evidence, using two-detector coincidence experiments of Doppler broadening (2D-DBAR), to clarify that these vacancy clusters reside on the surfaces of Au nanoparticles. This work also demonstrates a method for identifying defects at nanomaterials interfaces: a combination of both positron lifetime spectroscopy, which tells the type of the defects, and 2D-DBAR measurements, which reveals chemical environment of the defects.

  3. Au-CuO core-shell nanoparticles design and development for the selective determination of Vitamin B6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, Deivasigamani Ranjith; Manoj, Devaraj; Santhanalakshmi, Jayadevan; Shim, Jae-Jin

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Seed mediated growth of Au-CuO core-shell nanoparticle. • Au-CuO core-shell nanoparticle provided good peak current for pyridoxine. • Au-CuO/MWCNTs/GC exhibited excellent vitamin B 6 peak separation with other vitamin. - Abstract: This paper reports the synthesis of gold (core)-copper oxide (shell) nanoparticles using a simple seed mediated growth method. Pre-synthesized Au nanoparticles were used as seed materials for copper oxide shell growth, which were shown to be effective for Au-CuO core-shell formation. The novelty of this assembly strategy is that the exploitation of the Cu-ligand, which is thermolyzed on the Au nanoseed surface, results in the formation of CuO. Au-CuO core-shell nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as prepared Au-CuO was used to fabricate a Au-CuO/MWCNTs/GC-modified electrode, which was applied to Vitamin B 6 (pyridoxine) determination by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The MWCNTs enhance the pyridoxine oxidation rate by increasing the peak current with Au-CuO, hence pyridoxine oxidized lower operating potentials. The Au-CuO/MWCNTs/GC-modified electrode showed excellent electrochemical performance towards pyridoxine (PY) in the presence of other typical vitamins, such as riboflavin, ascorbic acid and uric acid. The linear calibration graph was obtained over the PY concentration range of 0.79 μM–18.4 μM and the detection limit (S/N = 3) was 0.15 μM. The Au-CuO/MWCNTs/GC-modified electrode showed good stability, repeatability and recovery of real sample analysis

  4. Enhanced photocatalysis, colloidal stability and cytotoxicity of synchrotron X-ray synthesized Au/TiO2 nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Chi-Jen; Yang, Tsung-Yeh; Wang, Chang-Hai; Chien, Chia-Chi; Chen, Shin-Tai; Wang, Cheng-Liang; Leng, Wei-Hua; Hwu, Y.; Lin, Hong-Ming; Lee, Yao-Chang; Cheng, Chia-Liang; Je, J.H.; Margaritondo, G.

    2009-01-01

    Au/TiO 2 nanocomposite particles were synthesized by a method based on intense X-ray irradiation without adding any reducing agent or stabilizer. The nanocomposite exhibits promising photocatalytic and biological properties at physiologically relevant concentration ([Au] = 0.028 mM, [TiO 2 ] = 0.5 mM). The structure and photocatalysis were examined by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy demonstrating that gold nanoparticles of 2-5 nm size were successfully deposited on TiO 2 nanoparticle surfaces. The nanocomposite exhibited good colloidal stability within a typical cellular environment and was nontoxic to cancer cell according to evaluations under controlled conditions. The Au/TiO 2 nanoparticles were also found to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency of UV radiation and even more that of X-ray radiation. In vitro studies indicated that the cell-killing effect under X-ray irradiation is more pronounced with the addition of Au/TiO 2 nanoparticles than of bare TiO 2 nanoparticles.

  5. Tuning plasmons layer-by-layer for quantitative colloidal sensing with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, William J; Nowinska, Kamila; Hutter, Tanya; Mahajan, Sumeet; Fischlechner, Martin

    2018-04-19

    Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is well known for its high sensitivity that emerges due to the plasmonic enhancement of electric fields typically on gold and silver nanostructures. However, difficulties associated with the preparation of nanostructured substrates with uniform and reproducible features limit reliability and quantitation using SERS measurements. In this work we use layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly to incorporate multiple functional building blocks of collaborative assemblies of nanoparticles on colloidal spheres to fabricate SERS sensors. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are packaged in discrete layers, effectively 'freezing nano-gaps', on spherical colloidal cores to achieve multifunctionality and reproducible sensing. Coupling between layers tunes the plasmon resonance for optimum SERS signal generation to achieve a 10 nM limit of detection. Significantly, using the layer-by-layer construction, SERS-active AuNP layers are spaced out and thus optically isolated. This uniquely allows the creation of an internal standard within each colloidal sensor to enable highly reproducible self-calibrated sensing. By using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) as the internal standard adenine concentrations are quantified to an accuracy of 92.6-99.5%. Our versatile approach paves the way for rationally designed yet quantitative colloidal SERS sensors and their use in a variety of sensing applications.

  6. Peptide-functionalized iron oxide magnetic nanoparticle for gold mining

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Wei-Zheng; Cetinel, Sibel; Sharma, Kumakshi; Borujeny, Elham Rafie; Montemagno, Carlo, E-mail: montemag@ualberta.ca [Ingenuity Lab, 1-070C (Canada)

    2017-02-15

    Here, we present our work on preparing a novel nanomaterial composed of inorganic binding peptides and magnetic nanoparticles for inorganic mining. Two previously selected and well-characterized gold-binding peptides from cell surface display, AuBP1 and AuBP2, were exploited. This nanomaterial (AuBP-MNP) was designed to fulfill the following two significant functions: the surface conjugated gold-binding peptide will recognize and selectively bind to gold, while the magnetic nano-sized core will respond and migrate according to the applied external magnetic field. This will allow the smart nanomaterial to mine an individual material (gold) from a pool of mixture, without excessive solvent extraction, filtration, and concentration steps. The working efficiency of AuBP-MNP was determined by showing a dramatic reduction of gold nanoparticle colloid concentration, monitored by spectroscopy. The binding kinetics of AuBP-MNP onto the gold surface was determined using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, which exhibits around 100 times higher binding kinetics than peptides alone. The binding capacity of AuBP-MNP was demonstrated by a bench-top mining test with gold microparticles.

  7. Omnidirectional excitation of sidewall gap-plasmons in a hybrid gold-nanoparticle/aluminum-nanopore structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chatdanai Lumdee

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The gap-plasmon resonance of a gold nanoparticle inside a nanopore in an aluminum film is investigated in polarization dependent single particle microscopy and spectroscopy. Scattering and transmission measurements reveal that gap-plasmons of this structure can be excited and observed under normal incidence excitation and collection, in contrast to the more common particle-on-a-mirror structure. Correlation of numerical simulations with optical spectroscopy suggests that a local electric field enhancement factor in excess of 50 is achieved under normal incidence excitation, with a hot-spot located near the top surface of the structure. It is shown that the strong field enhancement from this sidewall gap-plasmon mode can be efficiently excited over a broad angular range. The presented plasmonic structure lends itself to implementation in low-cost, chemically stable, easily addressable biochemical sensor arrays providing large optical field enhancement factors.

  8. Computer simulation of formation and decomposition of Au13 nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stishenko, P.; Svalova, A.

    2017-08-01

    To study the Ostwald ripening process of Au13 nanoparticles a two-scale model is constructed: analytical approximation of average nanoparticle energy as function of nanoparticle size and structural motive, and the Monte Carlo model of 1000 particles ensemble. Simulation results show different behavior of particles of different structural motives. The change of the distributions of atom coordination numbers during the Ostwald ripening process was observed. The nanoparticles of the equal size and shape with the face-centered cubic structure of the largest sizes appeared to be the most stable.

  9. Microbially supported synthesis of catalytically active bimetallic Pd-Au nanoparticles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Søbjerg, Lina Sveidal; Rotaru, Amelia-Elena

    2012-01-01

    Transformation (FFT) analyses confirmed that the nanoparticles indeed were bimetallic. The bimetallic nanoparticles did not have a core-shell structure, but were superior to monometallic particles at reducing p-nitrophenol to p-aminophenol. Hence, formation of microbially supported nanoparticles may be a cheap......(II) to the bio-supported particles resulted in increased particle size. UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HR-TEM analyses indicated that the previously monometallic nanoparticles had become fully or partially covered by Au(0) or Pd(0), respectively. Furthermore, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) and Fast Fourier...

  10. Impact of the Excitation Source and Plasmonic Material on Cylindrical Active Coated Nano-Particles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arslanagic, Samel; Liu, Yan; Malureanu, Radu

    2011-01-01

    Electromagnetic properties of cylindrical active coated nano-particles comprised of a silica nano-cylinder core layered with a plasmonic concentric nano-shell are investigated for potential nano-sensor applications. Particular attention is devoted to the near-field properties of these particles...

  11. Protein-coated pH-responsive gold nanoparticles: Microwave-assisted synthesis and surface charge-dependent anticancer activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dickson Joseph

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The biocompatibility and ease of functionalization of gold nanoparticles underlie significant potential in biotechnology and biomedicine. Eight different proteins were examined in the preparation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs in aqueous medium under microwave irradiation. Six of the proteins resulted in the formation of AuNPs. The intrinsic pH of the proteins played an important role in AuNPs with strong surface plasmon bands. The hydrodynamic size of the nanoparticles was larger than the values observed by TEM and ImageJ. The formation of a protein layer on the AuNPs accounts for this difference. The AuNPs exhibited sensitivity towards varying pH conditions, which was confirmed by determining the difference in the isoelectric points studied by using pH-dependent zeta potential titration. Cytotoxicity studies revealed anticancerous effects of the AuNPs at a certain micromolar concentration by constraining the growth of cancer cells with different efficacies due to the use of different proteins as capping agents. The positively charged AuNPs are internalized by the cells to a greater level than the negatively charged AuNPs. These AuNPs synthesized with protein coating holds promise as anticancer agents and would help in providing a new paradigm in area of nanoparticles.

  12. Preparation of gold nanoparticles using Salicornia brachiata plant extract and evaluation of catalytic and antibacterial activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayaz Ahmed, Khan Behlol; Subramanian, Swetha; Sivasubramanian, Aravind; Veerappan, Ganapathy; Veerappan, Anbazhagan

    2014-09-01

    The current study deals with the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using Salicornia brachiata (Sb) and evaluation of their antibacterial and catalytic activity. The SbAuNPs showed purple color with a characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 532 nm. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed polydispersed AuNPs with the size range from 22 to 35 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray and thin layer X-ray diffraction analysis clearly shows that SbAuNPs was pure and crystalline in nature. As prepared gold nanoparticles was used as a catalyst for the sodium borohydride reduction of 4-nitro phenol to 4-amino phenol and methylene blue to leucomethylene blue. The green synthesized nanoparticles exhibited potent antibacterial activity against the pathogenic bacteria, as evidenced by their zone of inhibition. In addition, we showed that the SbAuNPs in combination with the regular antibiotic, ofloxacin, exhibit superior antibacterial activity than the individual.

  13. Asymmetric photoelectric property of transparent TiO2 nanotube films loaded with Au nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Hui; Liang, Wei; Liu, Yiming; Zhang, Wanggang; Zhou, Diaoyu; Wen, Jing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Highly transparent films of TiO 2 nanotube arrays were directly fabricated on FTO glasses. • Semitransparent TNT-Au composite films were obtained and exhibited excellent photoelectrocatalytic ability. • Back-side of TNT-Au composite films was firstly irradiated and tested to compare with front-side of films. - Abstract: Semitransparent composite films of Au loaded TiO 2 nanotubes (TNT-Au) were prepared by sputtering Au nanoparticles on highly transparent TiO 2 nanotubes films, which were fabricated directly on FTO glasses by anodizing the Ti film sputtered on the FTO glasses. Compared with pure TNT films, the prepared TNT-Au films possessed excellent absorption ability and high photocurrent response and improved photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation. It could be concluded that Au nanoparticles played important roles in improving the photoelectrochemical performance of TNT-Au films. Moreover, in this work, both sides of TNT-Au films were researched and compared owing to theirs semitransparency. It was firstly found that the photoelectric activity of TNT-Au composite films with back-side illumination was obviously superior to front-side illumination.

  14. Plasmon mediated non-photochemical nucleation of nanoparticles by circularly polarized light

    OpenAIRE

    Karpov, Victor G.; Grigorchuk, Nicholas I.

    2014-01-01

    We predict nucleation of pancake shaped metallic nanoparticles having plasmonic frequencies in resonance with a non-absorbed circularly polarized electromagnetic field. We show that the same field can induce nucleation of randomly oriented needle shaped particles. The probabilities of these shapes are estimated vs. field frequency and strength, material parameters, and temperature. This constitutes a quantitative model of non-photochemical laser induced nucleation (NPLIN) consistent with the ...

  15. A rapid green strategy for the synthesis of Au "meatball"-like nanoparticles using green tea for SERS applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shichao; Zhou, Xi; Yang, Xiangrui; Hou, Zhenqing; Shi, Yanfeng; Zhong, Lubin; Jiang, Qian; Zhang, Qiqing

    2014-09-01

    We report a simple and rapid biological approach to synthesize water-soluble and highly roughened "meatball"-like Au nanoparticles using green tea extract under microwave irradiation. The synthesized Au meatball-like nanoparticles possess excellent monodispersity and uniform size (250 nm in diameter). Raman measurements show that these tea-generated meatball-like gold nanostructures with high active surface areas exhibit a high enhancement of surface-enhanced Raman scattering. In addition, the Au meatball-like nanoparticles demonstrate good biocompatibility and remarkable in vitro stability at the biological temperature. Meanwhile, the factors that influence the Au meatball-like nanoparticles morphology are investigated, and the mechanisms behind the nonspherical shape evolution are discussed.

  16. Anisotropic surroundings effects on photo absorption of partially embedded Au nanospheroids in silica glass substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meng, Xuan; Shibayama, Tamaki, E-mail: shiba@qe.eng.hokudai.ac.jp; Watanabe, Seiichi [Center for Advanced Research of Energy and Materials, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060–8628 (Japan); Yu, Ruixuan; Ishioka, Junya [Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060–8628 (Japan)

    2015-02-15

    The influence of a directly adjacent or an anisotropic surrounding medium alters the plasmonic properties of a nanoparticle because it provides a mechanism for symmetry breaking of the scattering. Given the success of ion irradiation induced embedment of rigid metallic nanospheroids into amorphous substrate, it is possible to examine the effect of the silica glass substrate on the plasmonic properties of these embedded nanospheroids. In this work presented here, discrete dipole approximation (DDA) calculations for the Au nanospheroids’ optical properties were performed based on 3–dimensional (3D) configuration extracted from planar SEM micrographs and cross–sectional TEM micrographs of the Au nanospheroids partially embedded in the silica glass, and the well–matched simulations with respect to the experimental measurements could demonstrate the dielectric constant at the near surface of silica glass decreased after Ar–ion irradiation.

  17. Fluidic Manufacture of Star-Shaped Gold Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silvestri, Alessandro; Lay, Luigi; Psaro, Rinaldo; Polito, Laura; Evangelisti, Claudio

    2017-07-21

    Star-shaped gold nanoparticles (StarAuNPs) are extremely attractive nanomaterials, characterized by localized surface plasmon resonance which could be potentially employed in a large number of applications. However, the lack of a reliable and reproducible synthetic protocols for the production of StarAuNPs is the major limitation to their spreading. For the first time, here we present a robust protocol to manufacture reproducible StarAuNPs by exploiting a fluidic approach. Star-shaped AuNPs have been synthesized by means of a seed-less protocol, employing ascorbic acid as reducing agent at room temperature. Moreover, the versatility of the bench-top microfluidic protocol has been exploited to afford hydrophilic, hydrophobic and solid-supported engineered StarAuNPs, by avoiding intermediate NP purifications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Controlled growth of Au nanoparticles in co-evaporated metal/polymer composite films and their optical and electrical properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takele, H.; Schürmann, U.; Greve, H.; Paretkar, D.; Zaporojtchenko, V.; Faupel, F.

    2006-02-01

    Nanocomposite films containing Au nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix were prepared by vapour phase co-deposition of Au and polymers (Teflon AF and Poly(α -methylstyrene)) in high vacuum. The microstructure of the composite materials as well as metal content strongly depend on the condensation coefficient of the Au atoms, the deposition rates of the components, the substrate temperature, and the type of polymer matrix. The condensation coefficient, which varies between 0.03 and 1, was determined from energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) and surface profilometry. It is shown that the microstructure of nanocomposites (size, size distribution, and interparticle separation of metal clusters), which was determined by transmission electron microscopy, can be controlled by the deposition parameters and the choice of polymer matrix. The optical absorption in the visible region due to the particle plasmon resonance has a strong dependence on the metal filling factor. The correlation between the microstructure of nanocomposites and optical properties, studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy, was also established. Further more, the electrical properties of the composites were studied as a function of the metal volume fraction. It was observed that the nanocomposite films exhibit a percolation threshold at a metal volume fraction of 0.43 and 0.20 for gold nanoclusters in Teflon AF and Poly(α-methylstyrene), respectively.

  19. Nanocomposite Based on Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles and Sulfonated Poly(ether ether ketone Membranes: Synthesis and Characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iole Venditti

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Gold nanoparticles, capped by 3-mercapto propane sulfonate (Au-3MPS, were synthesized inside a swollen sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone membrane (sPEEK. The formation of the Au-3MPS nanoparticles in the swollen sPEEK membrane was observed by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The nanocomposite containing the gold nanoparticles grown in the sPEEK membrane, showed the plasmon resonance λmax at about 520 nm, which remained stable over a testing period of three months. The size distribution of the nanoparticles was assessed, and the sPEEK membrane roughness, both before and after the synthesis of nanoparticles, was studied by AFM. The XPS measurements confirm Au-3MPS formation in the sPEEK membrane. Moreover, AFM experiments recorded in fluid allowed the production of images of the Au-3MPS@sPEEK composite in water at different pH levels, achieving a better understanding of the membrane behavior in a water environment; the dynamic hydration process of the Au-3MPS@sPEEK membrane was investigated. These preliminary results suggest that the newly developed nanocomposite membranes could be promising materials for fuel cell applications.

  20. Plasmon point spread functions: How do we model plasmon-mediated emission processes?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willets, Katherine A.

    2014-02-01

    A major challenge with studying plasmon-mediated emission events is the small size of plasmonic nanoparticles relative to the wavelength of light. Objects smaller than roughly half the wavelength of light will appear as diffraction-limited spots in far-field optical images, presenting a significant experimental challenge for studying plasmonic processes on the nanoscale. Super-resolution imaging has recently been applied to plasmonic nanosystems and allows plasmon-mediated emission to be resolved on the order of ˜5 nm. In super-resolution imaging, a diffraction-limited spot is fit to some model function in order to calculate the position of the emission centroid, which represents the location of the emitter. However, the accuracy of the centroid position strongly depends on how well the fitting function describes the data. This Perspective discusses the commonly used two-dimensional Gaussian fitting function applied to super-resolution imaging of plasmon-mediated emission, then introduces an alternative model based on dipole point spread functions. The two fitting models are compared and contrasted for super-resolution imaging of nanoparticle scattering/luminescence, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and surface-enhanced fluorescence.

  1. Tunable and Linker Free Nanogaps in Core-Shell Plasmonic Nanorods for Selective and Quantitative Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells by SERS

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Yang; Yang, Peng; Madathumpady Abubaker, Habeeb Muhammed; Alsaiari, Shahad K.; Moosa, Basem; AlMalik, Abdulaziz; Kumar, Anjli; Ringe, Emilie; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2017-01-01

    Controlling the size, number, and shape of nanogaps in plasmonic nanostructures is of significant importance for the development of novel quantum plasmonic devices and quantitative sensing techniques such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, we introduce a new synthetic method based on coordination interactions and galvanic replacement to prepare core-shell plasmonic nanorods with tunable enclosed nanogaps. Decorating Au nanorods with Raman reporters that strongly coordinate Ag+ ions (e.g., 4-mercaptopyridine) afforded uniform nucleation sites to form a sacrificial Ag shell. Galvanic replacement of the Ag shell by HAuCl4 resulted in Au-AgAu core-shell structure with a uniform intra-nanoparticle gap. The size (length and width) and morphology of the core-shell plasmonic nanorods as well as the nanogap size depends on the concentration of the coordination complexes formed between Ag+ ions and 4-mercaptopyridine. Moreover, encapsulating Raman reporters within the nanogaps afforded an internal standard for sensitive and quantitative SERS analysis. To test the applicability, core-shell plasmonic nanorods were functionalized with aptamers specific to circulating tumor cells such as MCF-7 (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7, breast cancer cell line). This system could selectively detect as low as 20 MCF-7 cells in a blood mimicking fluid employing SERS. The linking DNA duplex on core-shell plasmonic nanorods can also intercalate hydrophobic drug molecules such as Doxorubicin, thereby increasing the versatility of this sensing platform to include drug delivery. Our synthetic method offers the possibility of developing multifunctional SERS-active materials with a wide range of applications including bio sensing, imaging and therapy.

  2. Tunable and Linker Free Nanogaps in Core-Shell Plasmonic Nanorods for Selective and Quantitative Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells by SERS

    KAUST Repository

    Zhang, Yang

    2017-10-09

    Controlling the size, number, and shape of nanogaps in plasmonic nanostructures is of significant importance for the development of novel quantum plasmonic devices and quantitative sensing techniques such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Here, we introduce a new synthetic method based on coordination interactions and galvanic replacement to prepare core-shell plasmonic nanorods with tunable enclosed nanogaps. Decorating Au nanorods with Raman reporters that strongly coordinate Ag+ ions (e.g., 4-mercaptopyridine) afforded uniform nucleation sites to form a sacrificial Ag shell. Galvanic replacement of the Ag shell by HAuCl4 resulted in Au-AgAu core-shell structure with a uniform intra-nanoparticle gap. The size (length and width) and morphology of the core-shell plasmonic nanorods as well as the nanogap size depends on the concentration of the coordination complexes formed between Ag+ ions and 4-mercaptopyridine. Moreover, encapsulating Raman reporters within the nanogaps afforded an internal standard for sensitive and quantitative SERS analysis. To test the applicability, core-shell plasmonic nanorods were functionalized with aptamers specific to circulating tumor cells such as MCF-7 (Michigan Cancer Foundation-7, breast cancer cell line). This system could selectively detect as low as 20 MCF-7 cells in a blood mimicking fluid employing SERS. The linking DNA duplex on core-shell plasmonic nanorods can also intercalate hydrophobic drug molecules such as Doxorubicin, thereby increasing the versatility of this sensing platform to include drug delivery. Our synthetic method offers the possibility of developing multifunctional SERS-active materials with a wide range of applications including bio sensing, imaging and therapy.

  3. Plasmonic Landau damping in active environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thakkar, Niket; Montoni, Nicholas P.; Cherqui, Charles; Masiello, David J.

    2018-03-01

    Optical manipulation of charge on the nanoscale is of fundamental importance to an array of proposed technologies from selective photocatalysis to nanophotonics. Open plasmonic systems where collective electron oscillations release energy and charge to their environments offer a potential means to this end as plasmons can rapidly decay into energetic electron-hole pairs; however, isolating this decay from other plasmon-environment interactions remains a challenge. Here we present an analytic theory of noble-metal nanoparticles that quantitatively models plasmon decay into electron-hole pairs, demonstrates that this decay depends significantly on the nanoparticle's dielectric environment, and disentangles this effect from competing decay pathways. Using our approach to incorporate embedding material and substrate effects on plasmon-electron interaction, we show that predictions from the model agree with four separate experiments. Finally, examination of coupled nanoparticle-emitter systems further shows that the hybridized in-phase mode more efficiently decays to photons whereas the out-of-phase mode more efficiently decays to electron-hole pairs, offering a strategy to tailor open plasmonic systems for charge manipulation.

  4. Plasmonic behaviour of phenylenediamine functionalised silver nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akmal Che Lah, Nurul; Samykano, Mahendran; Rafie Johan, Mohd; Syahierah Othman, Nuurul; Mawardi Saari, Mohd; Bey Fen, Leo; Zalikha Khalil, Nur

    2017-09-01

    The surface functionalisation of AgNPs has demonstrated improved capability for various applications by modifying their surface chemical conditions. In this study, AgNPs functionalised with p-phenylenediamine (PPD) ligand were prepared, and the plasmonic effects of the nanocomposites were then investigated. The synthesis and functionalisation of Ag nanocomposites were achieved through chemical modification reaction of naphthalene group through hydrothermal synthesis. The influence of the chemical modification reaction on the plasmonic behaviour and size variation were obtained via optical measurement techniques such as UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) for absorbance characteristic, photoluminescence for emission response and micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) for SERS study on the presence of regions containing AgNPs and PPD ligand. It was observed that the one-step process of deprotonation of the amino group on the aromatic rings gives the re-arrangement of the electron cloud towards the π-conjugated system. High-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis showed the formation of the nanocomposites and the AgNPs (for ~4 and ~5 nm of diameter sizes) are well-dispersed over the PPD matrix. The nanocomposites are assembled into higher dimensional structures through coordination with functional PPD ligand and also increasing the PPD amount led to the increase in the surface area of the nanoparticles.

  5. Configuration-controlled Au nanocluster arrays on inverse micelle nano-patterns: versatile platforms for SERS and SPR sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Yoon Hee; Chung, Kyungwha; Quan, Li Na; Špačková, Barbora; Šípová, Hana; Moon, Seyoung; Cho, Won Joon; Shin, Hae-Young; Jang, Yu Jin; Lee, Ji-Eun; Kochuveedu, Saji Thomas; Yoon, Min Ji; Kim, Jihyeon; Yoon, Seokhyun; Kim, Jin Kon; Kim, Donghyun; Homola, Jiří; Kim, Dong Ha

    2013-11-01

    Nanopatterned 2-dimensional Au nanocluster arrays with controlled configuration are fabricated onto reconstructed nanoporous poly(styrene-block-vinylpyridine) inverse micelle monolayer films. Near-field coupling of localized surface plasmons is studied and compared for disordered and ordered core-centered Au NC arrays. Differences in evolution of the absorption band and field enhancement upon Au nanoparticle adsorption are shown. The experimental results are found to be in good agreement with theoretical studies based on the finite-difference time-domain method and rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The realized Au nanopatterns are exploited as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering and integrated into Kretschmann-type SPR sensors, based on which unprecedented SPR-coupling-type sensors are demonstrated.Nanopatterned 2-dimensional Au nanocluster arrays with controlled configuration are fabricated onto reconstructed nanoporous poly(styrene-block-vinylpyridine) inverse micelle monolayer films. Near-field coupling of localized surface plasmons is studied and compared for disordered and ordered core-centered Au NC arrays. Differences in evolution of the absorption band and field enhancement upon Au nanoparticle adsorption are shown. The experimental results are found to be in good agreement with theoretical studies based on the finite-difference time-domain method and rigorous coupled-wave analysis. The realized Au nanopatterns are exploited as substrates for surface-enhanced Raman scattering and integrated into Kretschmann-type SPR sensors, based on which unprecedented SPR-coupling-type sensors are demonstrated. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: TEM image and UV-vis absorption spectrum of citrate-capped Au NPs, AFM images of Au NC arrays on the PS-b-P4VP (41k-24k) template, ImageJ-analyzed results of PS-b-P4VP (41k-24k)-templated Au NC arrays, calculated %-surface coverage values, SEM images of Au NC arrays on the PS-b-P2VP (172k-42k

  6. Single-mode surface plasmon distributed feedback lasers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karami Keshmarzi, Elham; Tait, R Niall; Berini, Pierre

    2018-03-29

    Single-mode surface plasmon distributed feedback (DFB) lasers are realized in the near infrared using a two-dimensional non-uniform long-range surface plasmon polariton structure. The surface plasmon mode is excited onto a 20 nm-thick, 1 μm-wide metal stripe (Ag or Au) on a silica substrate, where the stripe is stepped in width periodically, forming a 1st order Bragg grating. Optical gain is provided by optically pumping a 450 nm-thick IR-140 doped PMMA layer as the top cladding, which covers the entire length of the Bragg grating, thus creating a DFB laser. Single-mode lasing peaks of very narrow linewidth were observed for Ag and Au DFBs near 882 nm at room temperature. The narrow linewidths are explained by the low spontaneous emission rate into the surface plasmon lasing mode as well as the high quality factor of the DFB structure. The lasing emission is exclusively TM polarized. Kinks in light-light curves accompanied by spectrum narrowing were observed, from which threshold pump power densities can be clearly identified (0.78 MW cm-2 and 1.04 MW cm-2 for Ag and Au DFB lasers, respectively). The Schawlow-Townes linewidth for our Ag and Au DFB lasers is estimated and very narrow linewidths are predicted for the lasers. The lasers are suitable as inexpensive, recyclable and highly coherent sources of surface plasmons, or for integration with other surface plasmon elements of similar structure.

  7. Plasmonic Nanoprobes for Stimulated Emission Depletion Nanoscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortés, Emiliano; Huidobro, Paloma A; Sinclair, Hugo G; Guldbrand, Stina; Peveler, William J; Davies, Timothy; Parrinello, Simona; Görlitz, Frederik; Dunsby, Chris; Neil, Mark A A; Sivan, Yonatan; Parkin, Ivan P; French, Paul M W; Maier, Stefan A

    2016-11-22

    Plasmonic nanoparticles influence the absorption and emission processes of nearby emitters due to local enhancements of the illuminating radiation and the photonic density of states. Here, we use the plasmon resonance of metal nanoparticles in order to enhance the stimulated depletion of excited molecules for super-resolved nanoscopy. We demonstrate stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy with gold nanorods with a long axis of only 26 nm and a width of 8 nm. These particles provide an enhancement of up to 50% of the resolution compared to fluorescent-only probes without plasmonic components irradiated with the same depletion power. The nanoparticle-assisted STED probes reported here represent a ∼2 × 10 3 reduction in probe volume compared to previously used nanoparticles. Finally, we demonstrate their application toward plasmon-assisted STED cellular imaging at low-depletion powers, and we also discuss their current limitations.

  8. Gold surfaces and nanoparticles are protected by Au(0)-thiyl species and are destroyed when Au(I)-thiolates form

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Reimers, Jeffrey R.; Ford, Michael J.; Halder, Arnab

    2016-01-01

    that it is the noble character of gold and nanoparticle surfaces that destabilizes Au(I)-thiolates. Bonding results from large van der Waals forces, influenced by covalent bonding induced through s-d hybridization and charge polarization effects that perturbatively mix in some Au(I)-thiolate character. A simple method...

  9. Investigation on enhancing effects of Au nanoparticles on solar steam generation in graphene oxide nanofluids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Yang; Mei, Tao; Wang, Gang; Guo, Ankang; Dai, Guangchao; Wang, Sheng; Wang, Jianying; Li, Jinhua; Wang, Xianbao

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Nanocomposites of graphene oxide (GO) and gold (Au) were explored to generate solar vapor under nature sunlight, and the water vaporization efficiency of GO-Au nanofluids at a temperature far below the boiling point could be up to 59.2%. - Highlights: • Graphene oxide/gold nanofluids were used to generate solar vapor under nature sunlight. • Water vaporization efficiency of GO-Au nanofluids could be up to 59.2%. • GO can be reduced to graphene by sunlight irradiation without reductants. - Abstract: Solar vapor generation enabled by nanoparticles is a green, efficient and direct approach to utilize solar energy. In this work, nanocomposites of graphene oxide (GO) and gold (Au) nanoparticles were prepared to generate solar steam under sunlight irradiation. The changes on steam pressure, mass loss and temperature of water were used to study the solar photothermal properties of GO-Au nanocomposites in water, which demonstrated that the synergistic interaction between GO nanosheets and Au nanoparticles played an active role in the photothermal effect of the nanocomposites. Trace of Au nanoparticles (15.6 wt‰) in the GO nanofluids could significantly improve the efficiency of solar vapor generation. More interestingly, the morphology and color of GO-Au nanofluids varied with irradiation times under sunlight, and our results suggested that GO sheets were reduced to graphene sheets. This process of photothermal deoxygenation of GO provides an available solution for preparing graphene sheets under ambient conditions without any reductions, and the solar steam generation method can enable potential applications like sterilization of waste, seawater desalination, and disinfection.

  10. Preparation of gold nanoparticles by arc discharge in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lung, Jen-Kuang; Huang, Jen-Chuen; Tien, Der-Chi; Liao, Chih-Yu; Tseng, Kuo-Hsiung; Tsung, Tsing-Tshin; Kao, Wen-Shiow; Tsai, Teh-Hua; Jwo, Ching-Song; Lin, Hong-Ming; Stobinski, Leszek

    2007-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles have been attracting attention due to their extensive application in chemistry, physics, material science, electronics, catalysis and bionanotechnology. Synthesis of gold nanoparticles often involves toxic and expensive physical-chemistry methods. Preparation of gold nanoparticles by arc discharge in water is proposed for the first time. Fabrication of gold nanostructures in deionized water has been successfully established. The evidence of gold particles' light absorbance reveals a unique surface plasmon resonance for Au nanoparticles suspended in deionized water. Gold nanostructures uniformly dispersed in water, their UV-Vis absorption and crystalline size are shown. Our experimental results demonstrate that fabrication of gold nanoparticles by arc discharge in water is an alternative, cheap, effective and environmentally friendly method

  11. Aquatic Fern (Azolla Sp.) Assisted Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jha, Anal K.; Prasad, K.

    2016-02-01

    Aquatic pteridophyte (Azolla sp.) was taken to assess its potential to synthesize the metal (Au) nanoparticles. The synthesized particles were characterized using X-ray, UV-visible, scanning and transmission electron microscopy analyses. Nanoparticles almost spherical in shape having the sizes of 5-17nm are found. UV-visible study revealed the surface plasmon resonance at 538nm. Responsible phytochemicals for the transformation were principally phenolics, tannins, anthraquinone glycosides and sugars present abundantly in the plant thereby bestowing it adaptive prodigality. Also, the use of Azolla sp. for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles offers the benefit of eco-friendliness.

  12. Digestive ripening facilitated atomic diffusion at nanosize regime: Case of AuIn{sub 2} and Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arora, Neha [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Jagirdar, Balaji R., E-mail: jagirdar@ipc.iisc.ernet.in [Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560 012 (India); Klabunde, Kenneth J. [Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 (United States)

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • A digestive ripening facilitated interatomic diffusion process is presented. • Nearly monodisperse AuIn{sub 2} and Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles were synthesized. • Optimization of reaction temperature facilitates interatomic transfer. • Presence of excess ligand plays a crucial role in the digestive ripening process. - Abstract: Monodisperse colloidal gold–indium (AuIn{sub 2}) intermetallic nanoparticles have been synthesized from Au and In colloids using the digestive ripening process. Formation of the intermetallic proceeds via digestive ripening facilitated atomic diffusion of Au and In atoms from the Au and In nanoparticles followed simultaneously by their growth in the solution. Optimization of the reaction temperature was found to be crucial for the formation of AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic from gold and indium nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of nearly monodisperse nanoparticles of Au and AuIn{sub 2} with particle size distribution of 3.7 ± 1.0 nm and 5.0 ± 1.6 nm, respectively. UV–visible spectral studies brought out the absence of SPR band in pure AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic nanoparticles. Optical study and electron microscopy, in combination with powder X-ray diffraction established phase pure AuIn{sub 2} intermetallic nanoparticles unambiguously. The potential of such an unprecedented approach has been further exploited in the synthesis of Ag{sub 3}In intermetallic nanoparticles with the dimension of less than 10 nm.

  13. Novel and simple route to fabricate fully biocompatible plasmonic mushroom arrays adhered on silk biopolymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joonhan; Choi, Yunkyoung; Lee, Myungjae; Jeon, Heonsu; Kim, Sunghwan

    2014-12-01

    A fully biocompatible plasmonic quasi-3D nanostructure is demonstrated by a simple and reliable fabrication method using strong adhesion between gold and silk fibroin. The quasi-3D nature gives rise to complex photonic responses in reflectance that are prospectively useful in bio/chemical sensing applications. Laser interference lithography is utilized to fabricate large-area plasmonic nanostructures.A fully biocompatible plasmonic quasi-3D nanostructure is demonstrated by a simple and reliable fabrication method using strong adhesion between gold and silk fibroin. The quasi-3D nature gives rise to complex photonic responses in reflectance that are prospectively useful in bio/chemical sensing applications. Laser interference lithography is utilized to fabricate large-area plasmonic nanostructures. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The incident angle dependence of reflectance spectra and the atomic force microscopy image of the Au nanoparticle array on a silk film after 1 hour of ultrasonication. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr05172f

  14. Recent advances in the synthesis of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@AU core/shell nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salihov, Sergei V. [National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy, Building 9, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation, (Russian Federation); Ivanenkov, Yan A.; Krechetov, Sergei P.; Veselov, Mark S. [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 9 Institutskiy lane, Dolgoprudny City, Moscow Region, 141700 (Russian Federation); Sviridenkova, Natalia V.; Savchenko, Alexander G. [National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy, Building 9, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation, (Russian Federation); Klyachko, Natalya L. [National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy, Building 9, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation, (Russian Federation); Moscow State University, Chemistry Department, Lenins kie gory, Building 1/3, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991 (Russian Federation); Golovin, Yury I. [Moscow State University, Chemistry Department, Lenins kie gory, Building 1/3, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991 (Russian Federation); Chufarova, Nina V., E-mail: chnv@pharmcluster.ru [Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University), 9 Institutskiy lane, Dolgoprudny City, Moscow Region, 141700 (Russian Federation); Beloglazkina, Elena K. [National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy, Building 9, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation, (Russian Federation); Moscow State University, Chemistry Department, Lenins kie gory, Building 1/3, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991 (Russian Federation); Majouga, Alexander G., E-mail: majouga@org.chem.msu.ru [National University of Science and Technology MISiS, Leninskiy, Building 9, Moscow, 119049, Russian Federation, (Russian Federation); Moscow State University, Chemistry Department, Lenins kie gory, Building 1/3, GSP-1, Moscow, 119991 (Russian Federation)

    2015-11-15

    Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@Au core/shell nanoparticles have unique magnetic and optical properties. These nanoparticles are used for biomedical applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging, photothermal therapy, controlled drug delivery, protein separation, biosensors, DNA detection, and immunosensors. In this review, recent methods for the synthesis of core/shell nanoparticles are discussed. We divided all of the synthetic methods in two groups: methods of synthesis of bi-layer structures and methods of synthesis of multilayer composite structures. The latter methods have a layer of “glue” material between the core and the shell. - Highlights: • Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles are promising for biomedical applications but have some disadvantages. • Covering Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles with Au shell leads to better stability and biocompatibility. • Core/shell nanoparticles are widely used for biomedical applications. • There are two types of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@Au core/shell nanoparticles structures: bi-layer and multilayer composite. • Different synthetic methods enable production of nanoparticles of different sizes.

  15. Gold Nanoparticles in Photonic Crystals Applications: A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venditti, Iole

    2017-01-24

    This review concerns the recently emerged class of composite colloidal photonic crystals (PCs), in which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are included in the photonic structure. The use of composites allows achieving a strong modification of the optical properties of photonic crystals by involving the light scattering with electronic excitations of the gold component (surface plasmon resonance, SPR) realizing a combination of absorption bands with the diffraction resonances occurring in the body of the photonic crystals. Considering different preparations of composite plasmonic-photonic crystals, based on 3D-PCs in presence of AuNPs, different resonance phenomena determine the optical response of hybrid crystals leading to a broadly tunable functionality of these crystals. Several chemical methods for fabrication of opals and inverse opals are presented together with preparations of composites plasmonic-photonic crystals: the influence of SPR on the optical properties of PCs is also discussed. Main applications of this new class of composite materials are illustrated with the aim to offer the reader an overview of the recent advances in this field.

  16. Gold Nanoparticles in Photonic Crystals Applications: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iole Venditti

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This review concerns the recently emerged class of composite colloidal photonic crystals (PCs, in which gold nanoparticles (AuNPs are included in the photonic structure. The use of composites allows achieving a strong modification of the optical properties of photonic crystals by involving the light scattering with electronic excitations of the gold component (surface plasmon resonance, SPR realizing a combination of absorption bands with the diffraction resonances occurring in the body of the photonic crystals. Considering different preparations of composite plasmonic-photonic crystals, based on 3D-PCs in presence of AuNPs, different resonance phenomena determine the optical response of hybrid crystals leading to a broadly tunable functionality of these crystals. Several chemical methods for fabrication of opals and inverse opals are presented together with preparations of composites plasmonic-photonic crystals: the influence of SPR on the optical properties of PCs is also discussed. Main applications of this new class of composite materials are illustrated with the aim to offer the reader an overview of the recent advances in this field.

  17. Fabrication and characterization of Au dimer antennas on glass pillars with enhanced plasmonic response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sadeghi Pedram

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available We report on the fabrication and dark-field spectroscopy characterization of Au dimer nanoantennas placed on top of SiO2 nanopillars. The reported process enables the fabrication of nanopillar dimers with gaps down to 15 nm and heights up to 1 μm. A clear dependence of the plasmonic resonance position on the dimer gap is observed for smaller pillar heights, showing the high uniformity and reproducibility of the process. It is shown how increasing the height of nanopillars significantly affects the recorded elastic scattering spectra from Au nanoantennas. The results are compared to finite-difference time-domain (FDTD and finite-element method (FEM simulations. Additionally, measured spectra are accompanied by dark-field microscopy images of the dimers, showing the pronounced change in color. Placing nanoantennas on nanopillars with a height comparable to the in-plane dimer dimensions results in an enhancement of the scattering response, which can be understood through reduced interaction of the near-fields with the substrate. When increasing the pillar height further, scattering by the pillars themselves manifests itself as a strong tail at lower wavelengths. Additionally, strong directional scattering is expected as a result of the interface between the nanoantennas and nanopillars, which is taken into account in simulations. For pillars of height close to the plasmonic resonance wavelength, the scattering spectra become more complex due to additional scattering peaks as a result of larger geometrical nonuniformities.

  18. Plasmonic gold nanoparticles for detection of fungi and human cutaneous fungal infections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sojinrin, Tobiloba; Conde, João; Liu, Kangze; Curtin, James; Byrne, Hugh J; Cui, Daxiang; Tian, Furong

    2017-07-01

    Fungi, which are common in the environment, can cause a multitude of diseases. Warm, humid conditions allow fungi to grow and infect humans via the respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts, genital area and other bodily interfaces. Fungi can be detected directly by microscopy, using the potassium hydroxide test, which is the gold standard and most popular method for fungal screening. However, this test requires trained personnel operating specialist equipment, including a fluorescent microscope and culture facilities. As most acutely infected patients seek medical attention within the first few days of symptoms, the optimal diagnostic test would be rapid and self-diagnostic simplifying and improving the therapeutic outcome. In suspensions of gold nanoparticles, Aspergillus niger can cause a colour change from red to blue within 2 min, as a result of changes in nanoparticle shape. A similar colour change was observed in the supernatant of samples of human toenails dispersed in water. Scanning electron microscopy, UV/Vis and Raman spectroscopy were employed to monitor the changes in morphology and surface plasmon resonance of the nanoparticles. The correlation of colour change with the fungal infection was analysed using the absorbance ratio at 520 nm/620 nm. We found a decrease in the ratio when the fungi concentration increased from 1 to 16 CFU/mL, with a detection limit of 10 CFU/mL. The test had an 80% sensitivity and a 95% specificity value for the diagnosis of athlete's foot in human patients. This plasmonic gold nanoparticle-based system for detection of fungal infections measures the change in shape of gold nanoparticles and generates coloured solutions with distinct tonality. Our application has the potential to contribute to self-diagnosis and hygiene control in laboratories/hospitals with fewer resources, just using the naked eye. Graphical abstract Colorimetric method for fungi detection with gold nano particles.

  19. Synthesis of oxocarbon-encapsulated gold nanoparticles with blue-shifted localized surface plasmon resonance by pulsed laser ablation in water with CO2 absorbers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Rosso, T.; Rey, N. A.; Rosado, T.; Landi, S.; Larrude, D. G.; Romani, E. C.; Freire Junior, F. L.; Quinteiro, S. M.; Cremona, M.; Aucelio, R. Q.; Margheri, G.; Pandoli, O.

    2016-06-01

    Colloidal suspensions of oxocarbon-encapsulated gold nanoparticles have been synthesized in a one-step procedure by pulsed-laser ablation (PLA) at 532 nm of a solid gold target placed in aqueous solution containing CO2 absorbers, but without any stabilizing agent. Multi-wavelength surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy allows the identification of adsorbed amorphous carbon and graphite, Au-carbonyl, Au coordinated CO2-derived bicarbonates/carbonates and hydroxyl groups around the AuNPs core. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis and high resolution transmission electron microscopy highlight the organic shell structure around the crystalline metal core. The stability of the colloidal solution of nanocomposites (NCs) seems to be driven by solvation forces and is achieved only in neutral or basic pH using monovalent hydroxide counter-ions (NaOH, KOH). The NCs are characterized by a blue shift of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) band typical of metal-ligand stabilization by terminal π-back bonding, attributed to a core charging effect caused by Au-carbonyls. Total organic carbon measurements detect the final content of organic carbon in the colloidal solution of NCs that is about six times higher than the value of the water solution used to perform PLA. The colloidal dispersions of NCs are stable for months and are applied as analytical probes in amino glycoside antibiotic LSPR based sensing.

  20. Synthesis of gold nanoparticles using renewable Punica granatum juice and study of its catalytic activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dash, Shib Shankar; Bag, Braja Gopal

    2014-01-01

    Punica granatum juice, a delicious multivitamin drink of great medicinal significance, is rich in different types of phytochemicals, such as terpenoids, alkaloids, sterols, polyphenols, sugars, fatty acids, aromatic compounds, amino acids, tocopherols, etc. We have demonstrated the use of the juice for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) at room temperature under very mild conditions. The synthesis of the AuNPs was complete in few minutes and no extra stabilizing or capping agents were necessary. The size of the nanoparticles could be controlled by varying the concentration of the fruit extract. The AuNPs were characterized by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction studies. Catalytic activity of the synthesized colloidal AuNPs has also been demonstrated.

  1. Preparation of Multifunctional Fe@Au Core-Shell Nanoparticles with Surface Grafting as a Potential Treatment for Magnetic Hyperthermia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Ren-Jei; Shih, Hui-Ting

    2014-01-24

    Iron core gold shell nanoparticles grafted with Methotrexate (MTX) and indocyanine green (ICG) were synthesized for the first time in this study, and preliminarily evaluated for their potential in magnetic hyperthermia treatment. The core-shell Fe@Au nanoparticles were prepared via the microemulsion process and then grafted with MTX and ICG using hydrolyzed poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid) (PSMA) to obtain core-shell Fe@Au-PSMA-ICG/MTX nanoparticles. MTX is an anti-cancer therapeutic, and ICG is a fluorescent dye. XRD, TEM, FTIR and UV-Vis spectrometry were performed to characterize the nanoparticles. The data indicated that the average size of the nanoparticles was 6.4 ± 09 nm and that the Au coating protected the Fe core from oxidation. MTX and ICG were successfully grafted onto the surface of the nanoparticles. Under exposure to high frequency induction waves, the superparamagnetic nanoparticles elevated the temperature of a solution in a few minutes, which suggested the potential for an application in magnetic hyperthermia treatment. The in vitro studies verified that the nanoparticles were biocompatible; nonetheless, the Fe@Au-PSMA-ICG/MTX nanoparticles killed cancer cells (Hep-G2) via the magnetic hyperthermia mechanism and the release of MTX.

  2. Colorimetric detection of Cr3+ using gold nanoparticles functionalized with 4-amino hippuric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jin, Weiwei; Huang, Pengcheng; Chen, Yueji; Wu, Fangying; Wan, Yiqun

    2015-01-01

    A facile and effective technique for monitoring Cr 3+ concentration based on 4-amino hippuric acid (PAH) decorated Au nanoparticles (PAH-AuNPs) is introduced. The modified AuNPs were easily aggregated in the presence of Cr 3+ , resulting in the color change from red to violet or blue, which is in response to the surface plasmon absorption of dispersed or aggregated nanoparticles. Under the optimized conditions, a good linear relationship (correlation coefficient r = 0.998) was obtained between the ratio of the absorbance at 635 nm to that at 520 nm (A 635 nm /A 520 nm ), and the concentration of Cr 3+ was over the range of 5.0–120 µM with detection limit of 1.17 µM. This method exhibited excellent selectivity for Cr 3+ over other tested heavy metal ions. Furthermore, there was no significant difference for the parameters of calibration equation between the presence and absence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA), which suggests that the method can be applied in various real samples owing to the strong masking ability of EDTA. The assay was used to detect the concentrations of Cr 3+ in liquid milk, milk power, and lake water samples with recoveries ranging from 93.5 to 114 %, indicating that the method could be used for extensive practical application. Graphical Abstract: A facile and effective technique for monitoring Cr 3+ based on 4-amino hippuric acid decorated Au nanoparticles is introduced. The modified AuNPs were aggregated in the presence of Cr 3+ resulting in the color change from red to violet or blue, which is in response to the surface plasmon absorption of dispersed or aggregated nanoparticles

  3. Magneto-Plasmonic Janus Vesicles for Magnetic Field-Enhanced Photoacoustic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Yijing; Yang, Xiangyu; Huang, Zhiqi; Huang, Peng; Zhang, Yang; Deng, Lin; Wang, Zhantong; Zhou, Zijian; Liu, Yi; Kalish, Heather; Khachab, Niveen M.; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Nie, Zhihong

    2016-01-01

    Magneto-plasmonic Janus vesicles (JVs) integrated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and magnetic NPs (MNPs) were prepared asymmetrically in the membrane for in vivo cancer imaging. The hybrid JVs were produced by coassembling a mixture of hydrophobic MNPs, free amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs), and AuNPs tethered with amphiphilic BCPs. Depending on the size and content of NPs, the JVs acquired spherical or hemispherical shapes. Among them, hemispherical JVs containing 50 nm AuNPs and 15 nm MNPs showed a strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) window and enhanced the transverse relaxation (T2) contrast effect, as a result of the ordering and dense packing of AuNPs and MNPs in the membrane. The magneto-plasmonic JVs were used as drug delivery vehicles, from which the release of a payload can be triggered by NIR light and the release rate can be modulated by a magnetic field. Moreover, the JVs were applied as imaging agents for in vivo bimodal photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tumors by intravenous injection. With an external magnetic field, the accumulation of the JVs in tumors was significantly increased, leading to a signal enhancement of approximately 2–3 times in the PA and MR imaging, compared with control groups without a magnetic field.

  4. Magneto-Plasmonic Janus Vesicles for Magnetic Field-Enhanced Photoacoustic and Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Tumors

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Yijing

    2016-11-10

    Magneto-plasmonic Janus vesicles (JVs) integrated with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and magnetic NPs (MNPs) were prepared asymmetrically in the membrane for in vivo cancer imaging. The hybrid JVs were produced by coassembling a mixture of hydrophobic MNPs, free amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs), and AuNPs tethered with amphiphilic BCPs. Depending on the size and content of NPs, the JVs acquired spherical or hemispherical shapes. Among them, hemispherical JVs containing 50 nm AuNPs and 15 nm MNPs showed a strong absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) window and enhanced the transverse relaxation (T2) contrast effect, as a result of the ordering and dense packing of AuNPs and MNPs in the membrane. The magneto-plasmonic JVs were used as drug delivery vehicles, from which the release of a payload can be triggered by NIR light and the release rate can be modulated by a magnetic field. Moreover, the JVs were applied as imaging agents for in vivo bimodal photoacoustic (PA) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of tumors by intravenous injection. With an external magnetic field, the accumulation of the JVs in tumors was significantly increased, leading to a signal enhancement of approximately 2–3 times in the PA and MR imaging, compared with control groups without a magnetic field.

  5. Synthesis of Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles with concave Au nanocuboids as seeds and their enhanced electrocatalytic properties in the ethanol oxidation reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Lingyu; Li, Lidong; Peng, Yi; Guo, Lin

    2015-12-01

    Herein, a new type of uniform and well-structured Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) with highly active concave Au nanocuboids (NCs) as seeds was successfully synthesized by using the classic seed-mediated method. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to demonstrate their greatly enhanced catalytic performance in the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). It was found that the electrochemical performance for Au@Pt BNPs with the concave Au NCs as seeds, which were enclosed by {611} high-index facets, could be seven times higher than that of the Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles with regular spherical Au NPs as seeds. Furthermore, our findings show that the morphology and electrocatalytic activity of the Au@Pt BNPs can be tuned simply by changing the compositional ratios of the growth solution. The lower the amount of H2PtCl6 used in the growth solution, the thinner the Pt shell grew, and the more high-index facets of concave Au NCs seeds were exposed in Au@Pt BNPs, leading to higher electrochemical activity. These as-prepared concave Au@Pt BNPs will open up new strategies for improving catalytic efficiency and reducing the use of the expensive and scarce resource of platinum in the ethanol oxidation reaction, and are potentially applicable as electrochemical catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells.

  6. Synthesis of Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles with concave Au nanocuboids as seeds and their enhanced electrocatalytic properties in the ethanol oxidation reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan, Lingyu; Li, Lidong; Peng, Yi; Guo, Lin

    2015-01-01

    Herein, a new type of uniform and well-structured Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) with highly active concave Au nanocuboids (NCs) as seeds was successfully synthesized by using the classic seed-mediated method. Electrochemical measurements were conducted to demonstrate their greatly enhanced catalytic performance in the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). It was found that the electrochemical performance for Au@Pt BNPs with the concave Au NCs as seeds, which were enclosed by {611}high-index facets, could be seven times higher than that of the Au@Pt bimetallic nanoparticles with regular spherical Au NPs as seeds. Furthermore, our findings show that the morphology and electrocatalytic activity of the Au@Pt BNPs can be tuned simply by changing the compositional ratios of the growth solution. The lower the amount of H_2PtCl_6 used in the growth solution, the thinner the Pt shell grew, and the more high-index facets of concave Au NCs seeds were exposed in Au@Pt BNPs, leading to higher electrochemical activity. These as-prepared concave Au@Pt BNPs will open up new strategies for improving catalytic efficiency and reducing the use of the expensive and scarce resource of platinum in the ethanol oxidation reaction, and are potentially applicable as electrochemical catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells. (paper)

  7. Anchoring of Ag-Au alloy nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide sheets for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hareesh, K., E-mail: appi.2907@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007 (India); Joshi, R.P. [Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007 (India); Sunitha, D.V. [School of Physics, Reva University, Bangalore 560064 (India); Bhoraskar, V.N. [Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007 (India); Dhole, S.D., E-mail: sanjay@physics.unipune.ac.in [Department of Physics, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007 (India)

    2016-12-15

    Highlights: • Ag-Au-rGO nanocomposite was synthesized by gamma radiation assisted method. • Ag-Au nanoparticles of size (5–19) nm were decorated on rGO. • Ag-Au-rGO showed enhanced catalytic activity for reduction of 4-Nitrophenol. - Abstract: One-step gamma radiation assisted method has been used for the synthesis of Silver-Gold (Ag-Au) alloy nanoparticles with simultaneous reduction of graphene oxide (GO). UV–vis spectroscopic results along with X-ray diffraction analysis, X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy and Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the decoration face centered cubic structured Ag-Au nanoparticles of size (5–19) nm on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. The increase in disorder parameter in Raman spectroscopy indicates the formation of more number of small sp{sup 2} domains. The synthesized Ag-Au-rGO nanocomposite showed enhanced catalytic activity towards the reduction of 4-Nitrophenol compared to individual Ag-Au and rGO components.

  8. Localized Surface Plasmon-Enhanced Electroluminescence in OLEDs by Self-Assembly Ag Nanoparticle Film

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Wenjun; Li, Shuhong; Wang, Qingru; Zheng, Wanquan; Shi, Qiang; Liu, Yunlong

    2015-12-01

    We fabricated Ag nanoparticle (NP) film in organic light emission diodes (OLEDs), and a 23 times increase in electroluminescence (EL) at 518 nm was probed by time-resolved EL measurement. The luminance and relative external quantum efficiency (REQE) were increased by 5.4 and 3.7 times, respectively. There comes a new energy transport way that localized surface plasmons (LSPs) would absorb energy that corresponds to the electron-hole pair before recombination, promoting the formation of electron-hole pair and exciting local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The extended lifetime of Alq3 indicates the existence of strong interaction between LSPR and exciton, which decreases the nonradiative decay rate of OLEDs.

  9. The fabrication and single electron transport of Au nano-particles placed between Nb nanogap electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishino, T; Negishi, R; Ishibashi, K; Kawao, M; Nagata, T; Ozawa, H

    2010-01-01

    We have fabricated Nb nanogap electrodes using a combination of molecular lithography and electron beam lithography. Au nano-particles with anchor molecules were placed in the gap, the width of which could be controlled on a molecular scale (∼2 nm). Three different anchor molecules which connect the Au nano-particles and the electrodes were tested to investigate their contact resistance, and a local gate was fabricated underneath the Au nano-particles. The electrical transport measurements at liquid helium temperatures indicated single electron transistor (SET) characteristics with a charging energy of about ∼ 5 meV, and a clear indication of the effect of superconducting electrodes was not observed, possibly due to the large tunnel resistance.

  10. Synthesis and Growth Mechanism of Multimetallic Core-Shell and Hollow-Like Nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Londono-Calderon, Alejandra

    A thorough control of nanoscale systems is crucial for developing and improving their activity in a variety of application fields. These range from nanocatalysis, plasmonics, nanosensors, nanomedicine, communications, and others. Controlling and understanding the growth and spatial distribution of multi metallic systems allow us to explore the correlation between the characteristics of the nanoparticle (composition, surface chemistry, crystallinity, etc.) and their properties (mechanical, optical, structural, etc.). In this dissertation bimetallic and multi-metallic nanoparticles were obtained by a seed mediated method and galvanic replacement. Combinations of the type core shell of Au Ag, Au Pd and Au Pd-Au Au multi-metallic systems were studied. A galvanic replacement method was used to obtain hollow-like Au/Pt nanoboxes and Au AgM (M = Au, Pd or Pt) yolk-shell structures with voids in the middle shell. Characterization regarding composition, morphology, optical properties and atomic structures was performed. The mechanical properties of Au Pd nanocubes were studied in situ by the use of a TEM-AFM nanomechanical holder. The nanoparticles strengthening mechanism relies on the Au core resistance to the motion of partial dislocations. The catalytic efficiency of core-shell and nanorattles structures were tested with a model reaction for the decomposition of 4-ntp to 4-amp. Yolk-shell systems exhibit an enhancement in the catalytic decomposition rate in comparison with solid and bimetallic system. Finally, the development of an Electrospray assisted Langmuir Blodgett technique was successfully employed for the deposition of nanoparticles monolayer on a substrate. High particle density and coverage of the substrate makes this a promising technique to finely tune nanoparticles self-assembly.

  11. Electrochemical characterization of core@shell CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/Au composite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carla, Francesco [' Ugo Schiff' , Universita degli Studi di Firenze, Dipartimento di Chimica (Italy); Campo, Giulio; Sangregorio, Claudio; Caneschi, Andrea; Julian Fernandez, Cesar de; Cabrera, Lourdes I., E-mail: lourisa_cabrera@yahoo.com [Universita degli Studi di Firenze, Laboratorio di Magnetismo Molecolare, INSTM, Dipartimento di Chimica (Italy)

    2013-08-15

    In this paper, we address the synthesis and characterization of the core@shell composite magneto-plasmonic cobalt ferrite-gold (Co-ferrite/Au) nanosystem. The synthesis Co-ferrite/Au nanocomposite is not obvious, hence it was of interest to generate it in a simple straightforward method. Co-ferrite/Au nanocomposite was generated by synthesizing first by thermal decomposition Co-ferrite nanoparticles (NPs). On a second step, ionic gold (Au{sup 3+}) was reduced at the surface of Co-ferrite NPs by ultrasound, to obtain the metallic Au shell. The characterization of the nanomaterial was achieved by microscopy, spectroscopy, and performing magnetic measurements. However, what is attractive about our work is the use of electrochemical techniques as analytical tools. The key technique was cyclic voltammetry, which provided information about the nature and structure of the nanocomposite, allowing us to confirm the core@shell structure.

  12. Optical Properties and Immunoassay Applications of Noble Metal Nanoparticles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, S.; Zhou, W.

    2010-01-01

    Noble metal, especially gold (Au) and silver (Ag) nanoparticles exhibit unique and tunable optical properties on account of their surface plasmon resonance (SPR). In this paper, we mainly discussed the theory background of the enhanced optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles. Mie theory, transfer matrix method, discrete dipole approximation (DDA) method, and finite-difference time domain (FDTD) method applied brute-force computational methods for different nanoparticles optical properties. Some important nanostructure fabrication technologies such as nanosphere lithography (NSL) and focused ion beam (FIB) are also introduced in this paper. Moreover, these fabricated nanostructures are used in the plasmonic sensing fields. The binding signal between the antibody and antigen, amyloid-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs)-potential Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in nano-Moore per liter (nM) concentration level are detected by our designed nanobiosensor. They have many potential applications in the biosensor, environment protection, food security, and medicine safety for health, and so forth, fields.

  13. Optical Properties and Immunoassay Applications of Noble Metal Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaoli Zhu

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Noble metal, especially gold (Au and silver (Ag nanoparticles exhibit unique and tunable optical properties on account of their surface plasmon resonance (SPR. In this paper, we mainly discussed the theory background of the enhanced optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles. Mie theory, transfer matrix method, discrete dipole approximation (DDA method, and finite-difference time domain (FDTD method applied brute-force computational methods for different nanoparticles optical properties. Some important nanostructure fabrication technologies such as nanosphere lithography (NSL and focused ion beam (FIB are also introduced in this paper. Moreover, these fabricated nanostructures are used in the plasmonic sensing fields. The binding signal between the antibody and antigen, amyloid-derived diffusible ligands (ADDLs-potential Alzheimer's disease (AD biomarkers, and staphylococcal enterotixn B (SEB in nano-Moore per liter (nM concentration level are detected by our designed nanobiosensor. They have many potential applications in the biosensor, environment protection, food security, and medicine safety for health, and so forth, fields.

  14. A ternary functional Ag@GO@Au sandwiched hybrid as an ultrasensitive and stable surface enhanced Raman scattering platform

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Cong-yun; Hao, Rui; Zhao, Bin; Hao, Yao-wu; Liu, Ya-qing

    2017-07-01

    The graphene-mediated surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates by virtues of plasmonic metal nanostructures and graphene or its derivatives have attracted tremendous interests which are expected to make up the deficiency of traditional plasmonic metal substrates. Herein, we designed and fabricated a novel ternary Ag@GO@Au sandwich hybrid wherein the ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) films were seamlessly wrapped around the hierarchical flower-like Ag particle core and meanwhile provided two-dimensional anchoring scaffold for the coating of Au nanoparticles (NPs). The surface coverage density of loading Au NPs could be readily controlled by tuning the dosage amount of Au particle solutions. These features endowed the sandwiched structures high enrichment capability for analytes such as aromatic molecules and astonishing SERS performance. The Raman signals were enormously enhanced with an ultrasensitive detection limit of rhodamine-6G (R6G) as low as 10-13 M based on the chemical enhancement from GO and multi-dimensional plasmonic coupling between the metal nanoparticles. In addition, the GO interlayer as an isolating shell could effectively prevent the metal-molecule direct interaction and suppress the oxidation of Ag after exposure at ambient condition which enabled the substrates excellent reproducibility with less than 6% signal variations and prolonged life-time. To evaluate the feasibility and the practical application for SERS detection in real-world samples based on GO sandwiched hybrid as SERS-active substrate, three different prohibited colorants with a series of concentrations were measured with a minimum detected concentration down to 10-9 M. Furthermore, the prepared GO sandwiched nanostructures can be used to identify different types of colorants existing in red wine, implying the great potential applications for single-particle SERS sensing of biotechnology and on-site monitoring in food security.

  15. Theory of tailorable optical response of two-dimensional arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles at dielectric interfaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikdar, Debabrata; Kornyshev, Alexei A

    2016-09-22

    Two-dimensional arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles at interfaces are promising candidates for novel optical metamaterials. Such systems materialise from 'top-down' patterning or 'bottom-up' self-assembly of nanoparticles at liquid/liquid or liquid/solid interfaces. Here, we present a comprehensive analysis of an extended effective quasi-static four-layer-stack model for the description of plasmon-resonance-enhanced optical responses of such systems. We investigate in detail the effects of the size of nanoparticles, average interparticle separation, dielectric constants of the media constituting the interface, and the nanoparticle position relative to the interface. Interesting interplays of these different factors are explored first for normally incident light. For off-normal incidence, the strong effects of the polarisation of light are found at large incident angles, which allows to dynamically tune the reflectance spectra. All the predictions of the theory are tested against full-wave simulations, proving this simplistic model to be adequate within the quasi-static limit. The model takes seconds to calculate the system's optical response and makes it easy to unravel the effect of each system parameter. This helps rapid rationalization of experimental data and understanding of the optical signals from these novel 'metamaterials', optimised for light reflection or harvesting.

  16. Synthesis of Au nanoparticles at the surface and embedded in carbonaceous matrix by 150 keV Ar ion irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prakash, Jai; Tripathi, Jalaj; Tripathi, A; Kumar, P; Asokan, K; Avasthi, D K; Rigato, V; Pivin, J C; Chae, Keun Hwa; Gautam, Sanjeev

    2011-01-01

    We report on synthesis of spherical Au nanoparticles at the surface and embedded in carbonaceous matrix by 150 keV Ar ion irradiation of thin Au film on polyethyleneterepthlate (PET). The pristine and irradiated samples are characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. RBS spectra reveal the sputtering of Au film and interface mixing, increasing with increasing fluence. Surface morphology shows that at the fluence of 5 x 10 15 ions cm -2 , dewetting of thin Au film begins and partially connected nanostructures are formed whereas, at the higher fluence of 5 x 10 16 ions cm -2 , isolated spherical Au nanoparticles (45 ± 20 nm) are formed at the surface. Cross-sectional TEM observations also evidence the Au nanoparticles at the surface and mixed metal-polymer region indicating the formation of nanocomposites with small Au nanoparticles. The results are explained by the crater formation, sputtering followed by dewetting of the thin Au film and interdiffusion at the interface, through molten zones due to thermal spike induced by Ar ions.

  17. Synthesis and characterization of gold nanoparticles using Ficus religiosa extract

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kirtee Wani

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available We report a cost effective and eco-friendly biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (F-AuNPs using aqueous extract of Ficus religiosa as the reducing and stabilizing agent. These nanoparticles were characterized by various techniques such as UV-Vis, XRD, TEM and FTIR. The characteristic surface plasmon peak was observed at 540 nm while XRD analysis suggested it to be a face-centered cubic (fcc structure with peaks at 38.06, 44.46, 64.75 and 77.56. FTIR studies indicated the capping of the nanoparticles with polyphenols, amines and carboxylates present in the extract of Ficus religiosa whereas TEM analysis showed spherical morphology with other shapes such as triangles and hexagons. The F-AuNPs were found to be non-toxic to HEK 293 cells, thereby suggesting their potential application in the field of nanobiotechnology.

  18. Thiol-modified gold nanoparticles deposited on silica support using dip coating

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magura, Jozef; Zeleňáková, Adriana; Zeleňák, Vladimír; Kaňuchová, Maria

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Thin layers of gold were deposited on glass substrate. • Layers were modified by two different ligands, 1,4-dithiothreitol and L-glutathione. • Red shift of SPR band was observed in spectra after modification of Au by thiols. • Charge transfer between Au and S atoms leads to ferromagnetic behaviour of samples. - Abstract: In our work, we have prepared thin layers of gold nanoparticles deposited via dip coating technique on silica glass substrate. The prepared thin layers were modified by two different ligands, namely 1,4-dithiothreitol (sample Au-DTT NPs) and L-glutathione (sample Au-GSH NPs). The spectral, structural and magnetic properties of the prepared samples were investigated. The modification of Au nanoparticles with thiol ligands leads to change of their plasmon resonance fields, as indicated by UV–vis spectra. The magnetic measurements showed that the magnetization of the samples is composed from two magnetic contributions: diamagnetic contribution and low field ferromagnetic contribution. Our experimental results show that the charge transfer between Au and S atoms gives rise to the ferromagnetic behaviour of prepared thin layers

  19. Glucose-mediated catalysis of Au nanoparticles in microgels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Qingshi; Cheng, Han; Chang, Aiping; Xu, Wenting; Lu, Fan; Wu, Weitai

    2015-11-18

    The catalytic activity of Au nanoparticles in phenylboronic acid-containing polymer microgels can be tuned through the swelling-deswelling transition of the microgels in response to changes in glucose concentration. Upon adding glucose, the model catalytic reduction of hydrophilic 4-nitrophenol is accelerated, while the reduction of relatively more hydrophobic nitrobenzene slows down.

  20. Plasmon-enhanced absorption in a metal nanoparticles and photosynthetic molecules hybrid system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Zhiyuan; Govorov, Alexander

    2010-03-01

    Photosystem I from cyanobacteria is one of nature's most efficient light harvesting complexes, converting light energy into electronic energy with a quantum yield of 100% and an energy yield about 58%. It is very attractive to the nanotechnology community because of its nanoscale dimensions and excellent optoelectronic properties. This protein has the potential to be utilized in devices such as solar cells, electric switches, photo-detectors, etc. However, there is one limiting factor for potential applications of a single monolayer of these photosynthetic proteins. One monolayer absorbs less than 1% of sunlight's energy, despite their excellent optoelectronic properties. Recently, experiments [1] have been conducted to enhance light absorption with the assistance of metal nanoparticles as artificial antenna for the photosystem I. Here, we present a theoretical description of the strong plasmon-assisted interactions between the metal nanoparticles and the optical dipoles of the reaction centers observed in the experiments. The resonance and off-resonance plasmon effects enhance the electromagnetic fields around the photosystem-I molecules and, in this way, lead to enhanced absorption. [4pt] [1] I. Carmeli, I. Lieberman, L. Kraversky, Zhiyuan Fan, A. O. Govorov, G. Markovich, and S. Richter, submitted.