Divalent Europium Nanocrystals: Controllable Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Plate-Like Colloidal Metal Nanoparticles

The pseudo-two-dimensional (2D) morphology of plate-like metal nanoparticles makes them one of the most anisotropic, mechanistically understood, and tunable structures available. Although well-known for their superior plasmonic properties, recent progress in the 2D growth of various other materials has led to an increasingly diverse family of plate-like metal nanoparticles, giving rise to numerous appealing properties and applications. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the solution-phase growth of colloidal plate-like metal nanoparticles, including plasmonic and other metals, with an emphasis on mechanistic insights for different synthetic strategies, the crystallographic habits of different metals, and the use of nanoplates as scaffolds for the synthesis of other derivative structures. We additionally highlight representative self-assembly techniques and provide a brief overview on the attractive properties and unique versatility benefiting from the 2D morphology. Finally, we share our opinions on the existing challenges and future perspectives for plate-like metal nanomaterials.

Dithiocarbamate Complexes as Single Source Precursors to Nanoscale Binary, Ternary and Quaternary Metal Sulfides

Nanodimensional metal sulfides are a developing class of low-cost materials with potential applications in areas as wide-ranging as energy storage, electrocatalysis, and imaging. An attractive synthetic strategy, which allows careful control over stoichiometry, is the single source precursor (SSP) approach in which well-defined molecular species containing preformed metal-sulfur bonds are heated to decomposition, either in the vapor or solution phase, resulting in facile loss of organics and formation of nanodimensional metal sulfides. By careful control of the precursor, the decomposition environment and addition of surfactants, this approach affords a range of nanocrystalline materials from a library of precursors. Dithiocarbamates (DTCs) are monoanionic chelating ligands that have been known for over a century and find applications in agriculture, medicine, and materials science. They are easily prepared from nontoxic secondary and primary amines and form stable complexes with all elements. Since pioneering work in the late 1980s, the use of DTC complexes as SSPs to a wide range of binary, ternary, and multinary sulfides has been extensively documented. This review maps these developments, from the formation of thin films, often comprised of embedded nanocrystals, to quantum dots coated with organic ligands or shelled by other metal sulfides that show high photoluminescence quantum yields, and a range of other nanomaterials in which both the phase and morphology of the nanocrystals can be engineered, allowing fine-tuning of technologically important physical properties, thus opening up a myriad of potential applications.

Fluorescence-Magnetism Functional EuS Nanocrystals with Controllable Morphologies for Dual Bioimaging

Multiple functions incorporated in one single component material offer important applications in biosystems. Here we prepared a divalent state of rare earth EuS nanocrystals (NCs), which provides luminescent and magnetic properties, using both 1-Dodecanethiol (DT) and oleylamine (OLA) as reducing agents. The resultant EuS NCs exhibit controllable shapes, uniform size, and bright luminescence with a quantum yield as high as 3.5%. OLA as a surface ligand plays an important role in tunable morphologies, such as nanowires, nanorods, nanospheres et al. Another attractive nature of the EuS NCs is their paramagnetism at room temperature. In order to expand the biological applications, the resultant EuS NCs were modified with amphiphilic block copolymer F127 and transferred from oil to water phase. The excellent biocompatibility of EuS NCs is demonstrated as well as preservation of their luminescence and paramagnetic properties. The EuS NCs offer multifunction and great advantages of bright luminescence, paramagnetic, controllable morphologies, and good biocompatibility promising applications in the field of simultaneous magnetic resonance and fluorescence bioimaging.

Size- and dimensionality-dependent optical, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of binary europium-based nanocrystals: EuX (X = O, S, Se, Te)

Europium chalcogenides (EuX, X = O, S, Se, Te), a class of prototypical Heisenberg magnetic semiconductors, exhibit intriguing properties in optics, magnetism, and magneto-optics at the nanoscale, and have broad application potential in optical/magnetic sensors, spintronics, optical isolators, etc. EuX nanocrystals (NCs) exhibit enhanced properties, such as high saturation magnetization, a strong magneto-optic effect (Faraday rotation), and high magneto resistance, which are all unanimously dependent on the NC's size, shape, and surface information. In this report, we give an overview of the fundamental properties of bulk EuX, and illustrate the quantum confinement effects on the optical, magnetic and magneto-optical properties of EuX nanostructures. We then focus on doping and self-assembly-two efficient methods that enhance magnetic properties by manipulating magnetic coupling in EuX nanostructures. In particular, we look towards future research on Eu(2+) NCs, which along with the overview provides an up-to-date platform for evaluating the fundamental properties and application potential of Eu-based semiconductors.

Aqueous Eu(II)-Containing Complex with Bright Yellow Luminescence

Eu(II)-containing materials have unique luminescence, redox, and magnetic properties that have potential applications in optoelectronics, sensors, and imaging. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of Eu(II)-containing aza-222 cryptate that displays yellow luminescence and a quantum yield of 26% in aqueous media. The crystal structure reveals a staggered hula-hoop geometry. Both solid-state and solution-phase data are presented that indicate that the high quantum yield is a result of the absence of OH oscillators in the inner sphere of the complex. We expect that Eu(II)-containing aza-222 cryptate is a step toward Eu(II)-containing luminescent materials that can be used in a variety of applications including biological imaging.