1
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Solti D, Jacobson CR, Yates JAO, Hammel BF, Naidu GN, Arndt CE, Bayles A, Yuan Y, Dhindsa P, Luu JT, Farr C, Wu G, Everitt HO, Tsai AL, Yazdi S, Nordlander P, Halas NJ. Reduced-Dimensionality Al Nanocrystals: Nanowires, Nanobars, and Nanomoustaches. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:6897-6905. [PMID: 38805366 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c00895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Aluminum nanocrystals created by catalyst-driven colloidal synthesis support excellent plasmonic properties, due to their high level of elemental purity, monocrystallinity, and controlled size and shape. Reduction in the rate of nanocrystal growth enables the synthesis of highly anisotropic Al nanowires, nanobars, and singly twinned "nanomoustaches". Electron energy loss spectroscopy was used to study the plasmonic properties of these nanocrystals, spanning the broad energy range needed to map their plasmonic modes. The coupling between these nanocrystals and other plasmonic metal nanostructures, specifically Ag nanocubes and Au films of controlled nanoscale thickness, was investigated. Al nanocrystals show excellent long-term stability under atmospheric conditions, providing a practical alternative to coinage metal-based nanowires in assembled nanoscale devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Solti
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Christian R Jacobson
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - J Alexander Orion Yates
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Benjamin Franklin Hammel
- Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado─Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado─Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Gopal Narmada Naidu
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Catherine E Arndt
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Aaron Bayles
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Yigao Yuan
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Parmeet Dhindsa
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Jessica T Luu
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Research and Leadership Enabling Discoveries in Chemical Nanoscience Research Experience for Undergraduates, Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Corbin Farr
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Gang Wu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Henry O Everitt
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Ah-Lim Tsai
- Division of Hematology-Oncology Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Texas McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
| | - Sadegh Yazdi
- Renewable & Sustainable Energy Institute, University of Colorado─Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado─Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States
| | - Peter Nordlander
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Naomi J Halas
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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2
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Chen M, Li Y, Zhu R, Zhu J, He H. Kinetics of Oriented Attachment of Mica Crystals. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:1367-1377. [PMID: 38174702 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c03892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Oriented attachment (OA), that is, the coalescence of crystals through attachment on coaligned crystal faces, is a nonclassical crystal growth process. Before attachment, a mesocrystal consisting of coaligned parallel crystals but with liquid separating them was observed. Fundamental questions such as why OA is kinetically favored and whether a mesocrystal stage is a prerequisite for OA are raised. Through combining brute-force molecular dynamics simulations and path samplings based on extensive umbrella simulations, we address these questions with a case study on the OA of a mica nanocrystal onto a mica crystal substrate in water. Brute-force simulations show that if two mica crystals are attached but largely misaligned, coalignment hardly appears. Thus, if OA is possible, then coalignment must appear before the attachment between crystals. Electrophoresis of the nanocrystal toward the substrate surface is spontaneous, but mesocrystal formation is occasional, also shown by brute-force simulations. Free energies along different pathways show that OA is spontaneous and kinetically favored over non-OA, and a mesocrystal formation is just a bifurcation in the pathway. OA is through a pathway in which the nanocrystal is tilted with respect to the substrate. Part of the nanocrystal is attached to the substrate first, and then, OA is gradually completed. Once a mesocrystal is occasionally formed, then a jump event is needed for the nanocrystal to get back to the OA pathway. The sampling technique here can hopefully guide the design of nanostructured materials facilitated by OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Yuhang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Runliang Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jianxi Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hongping He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mineralogy and Metallogeny/Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Mineral Physics and Materials, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Institutions of Earth Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Guangzhou 510640, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Deep Earth Science, Guangzhou 510640, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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3
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He C, Li Y, Yang Y, Fan H, Li D, Han X. Sensitive Aluminum SPR Sensors Prepared by Thermal Evaporation Deposition. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:43188-43196. [PMID: 38024768 PMCID: PMC10652738 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
We used straightforward thermal evaporation deposition to form thin Al films on fused silica slides as surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors in the blue visible region. Compared to other studies, we achieved high-quality Al SPR sensors with a low vacuum level at 7 × 10-4 Pa and a low deposition rate between 1.47 and 3.41 nm/s. These Al films have an atomic-level surface roughness. With our recipe, the requirements for deposition conditions are relaxed, and the operation time is reduced remarkably. The experimental sensitivity of the bulk refractive index measurements using 405 nm probing light is as high as 149.9°/RIU. Compared with other studies, our blue visible Al SPR completes the Al SPR working frequency range from deep UV to near-infrared which is much broader than the working range of Au SPR sensors. The cost of Al material is cheap, and the deposition instrument is also economic and operation easy. Considering the compatibility with most of the nanofabrication procedures and stability from the native oxide layer, Al SPR sensors have a huge potential to replace Au SPR sensors as the new golden standard of SPR sensing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yuxiang Yang
- School of Optoelectrical
Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Huaikun Fan
- School of Optoelectrical
Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Dawei Li
- School of Optoelectrical
Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
| | - Xue Han
- School of Optoelectrical
Engineering and Instrumentation Science, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
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4
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Peng F, Lu SY, Sun PQ, Zhang NN, Liu K. Branched Aluminum Nanocrystals with Internal Hot Spots: Synthesis and Single-Particle Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering. NANO LETTERS 2023. [PMID: 37410961 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c01605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Owing to their unique and sustainable surface plasmonic properties, Al nanocrystals have attracted increasing attention for plasmonic-enhanced applications, including single-particle surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). However, whether Al nanocrystals can achieve single-particle SERS is still unknown, mainly due to the synthetic difficulty of Al nanocrystals with internal gaps. Herein, we report a regrowth method for the synthesis of Al nanohexapods with tunable and uniform internal gaps for single-particle SERS with an enhancement factor of up to 1.79 × 108. The uniform branches of the Al nanohexapods can be systematically tuned regarding their dimensions, terminated facets, and internal gaps. The Al nanohexapods generate hot spots concentrated in the internal gaps due to the strong plasmonic coupling between the branches. A single-particle SERS measurement of Al nanohexapods shows strong Raman signals with maximum enhancement factors comparable to that of Au counterparts. The large enhancement factor indicates that Al nanohexapods are good candidates for single-particle SERS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Shao-Yong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Pan-Qi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Ning-Ning Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Kun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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5
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Qiao L, Fu Z, Zhao W, Cui Y, Xing X, Xie Y, Li J, Gao G, Xuan Z, Liu Y, Lee C, Han Y, Cheng Y, He S, Jones MR, Swihart MT. Branching phenomena in nanostructure synthesis illuminated by the study of Ni-based nanocomposites. Chem Sci 2023; 14:1205-1217. [PMID: 36756340 PMCID: PMC9891374 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc05077c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Branching phenomena are ubiquitous in both natural and artificial crystallization processes. The branched nanostructures' emergent properties depend upon their structures, but their structural tunability is limited by an inadequate understanding of their formation mechanisms. Here we developed an ensemble of Nickel-Based nano-Composites (NBCs) to investigate branching phenomena in solution-phase synthesis with precision and in depth. NBCs of 24 morphologies, including dots, core@shell dots, hollow shells, clusters, polyhedra, platelets, dendrites, urchins, and dandelions, were synthesized through systematic adjustment of multiple synthesis parameters. Relationships between the synthesis parameters and the resultant morphologies were analyzed. Classical or non-classical models of nucleation, nascent growth, 1D growth, 2D growth, 3D reconstruction, aggregation, and carburization were defined individually and then integrated to provide a holistic view of the formation mechanism of branched NBCs. Finally, guidelines were extracted and verified to guide the rational solution-phase syntheses of branched nanomaterials with emergent biological, chemical, and physical properties for potential applications in immunology, catalysis, energy storage, and optics. Demonstrating a systematic approach for deconvoluting the formation mechanism and enhancing the synthesis tunability, this work is intended to benefit the conception, development, and improvement of analogous artificial branched nanostructures. Moreover, the progress on this front of synthesis science would, hopefully, deepen our understanding of branching phenomena in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Qiao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA .,Division of Fundamental Research, Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Beijing 102206 China .,Department of Chemistry, Rice University Houston Texas 77005 USA
| | - Zheng Fu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA .,RENEW Institute, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo New York 14260 USA
| | - Wenxia Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA .,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia Normal University Guyuan 756000 China
| | - Yan Cui
- Division of Fundamental Research, Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Beijing 102206 China
| | - Xin Xing
- Division of Fundamental Research, Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Beijing 102206 China
| | - Yin Xie
- Division of Fundamental Research, Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Beijing 102206 China
| | - Ji Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA .,MIIT Key Laboratory of Critical Materials Technology for New Energy Conversion and Storage, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology Harbin Heilongjiang 150001 China
| | - Guanhui Gao
- Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice UniversityHoustonTexas 77005USA
| | - Zhengxi Xuan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA .,RENEW Institute, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo New York 14260 USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA
| | - Chaeeon Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY) Buffalo NY 14260 USA
| | - Yimo Han
- Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice UniversityHoustonTexas 77005USA
| | - Yingwen Cheng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois UniversityDeKalbIllinois 60115USA
| | - Shengbao He
- Division of Fundamental Research, Petrochemical Research Institute, PetroChina Beijing 102206 China
| | - Matthew R. Jones
- Department of Chemistry, Rice UniversityHoustonTexas 77005USA,Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering, Rice UniversityHoustonTexas 77005USA
| | - Mark T. Swihart
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo (SUNY)BuffaloNY 14260USA,RENEW Institute, University at Buffalo (SUNY)BuffaloNew York 14260USA
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6
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Dhindsa P, Solti D, Jacobson CR, Kuriakose A, Naidu GN, Bayles A, Yuan Y, Nordlander P, Halas NJ. Facet Tunability of Aluminum Nanocrystals. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:10088-10094. [PMID: 36525692 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c03859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Aluminum nanocrystals (Al NCs) with a well-defined size and shape combine unique plasmonic properties with high earth abundance, potentially ideal for applications where sustainability and cost are important factors. It has recently been shown that single-crystal Al {100} nanocubes can be synthesized by the decomposition of AlH3 with Tebbe's reagent, a titanium(IV) catalyst with two cyclopentadienyl ligands. By systematically modifying the catalyst molecular structure, control of the NC growth morphology is observed spectroscopically, as the catalyst stabilizes the {100} NC facets. By varying the catalyst concentration, Al NC faceted growth is tunable from {100} faceted nanocubes to {111} faceted octahedra. This study provides direct insight into the role of catalyst molecular structure in controlling Al NC morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parmeet Dhindsa
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - David Solti
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Christian R Jacobson
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Anvy Kuriakose
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program, Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Gopal Narmada Naidu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program, Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Aaron Bayles
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Yigao Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Peter Nordlander
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program, Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
| | - Naomi J Halas
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Applied Physics Graduate Program, Smalley-Curl Institute, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
- Laboratory for Nanophotonics, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77005, United States
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7
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Hopper E, Boukouvala C, Asselin J, Biggins JS, Ringe E. Opportunities and Challenges for Alternative Nanoplasmonic Metals: Magnesium and Beyond. THE JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. C, NANOMATERIALS AND INTERFACES 2022; 126:10630-10643. [PMID: 35836479 PMCID: PMC9272400 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.2c01944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Materials that sustain localized surface plasmon resonances have a broad technology potential as attractive platforms for surface-enhanced spectroscopies, chemical and biological sensing, light-driven catalysis, hyperthermal cancer therapy, waveguides, and so on. Most plasmonic nanoparticles studied to date are composed of either Ag or Au, for which a vast array of synthetic approaches are available, leading to controllable size and shape. However, recently, alternative materials capable of generating plasmonically enhanced light-matter interactions have gained prominence, notably Cu, Al, In, and Mg. In this Perspective, we give an overview of the attributes of plasmonic nanostructures that lead to their potential use and how their performance is dictated by the choice of plasmonic material, emphasizing the similarities and differences between traditional and emerging plasmonic compositions. First, we discuss the materials limitation encapsulated by the dielectric function. Then, we evaluate how size and shape maneuver localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) energy and field distribution and address how this impacts applications. Next, biocompatibility, reactivity, and cost, all key differences underlying the potential of non-noble metals, are highlighted. We find that metals beyond Ag and Au are of competitive plasmonic quality. We argue that by thinking outside of the box, i.e., by looking at nonconventional materials such as Mg, one can broaden the frequency range and, more importantly, combine the plasmonic response with other properties essential for the implementation of plasmonic technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth
R. Hopper
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, United
Kingdom
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Philippa Fawcett Drive, Cambridge CB3 0AS, United Kingdom
| | - Christina Boukouvala
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, United
Kingdom
| | - Jérémie Asselin
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, United
Kingdom
| | - John S. Biggins
- Department
of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Ringe
- Department
of Materials Science and Metallurgy, University
of Cambridge, 27 Charles Babbage Road, Cambridge CB3 0FS, United Kingdom
- Department
of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EQ, United
Kingdom
- . Phone: +44 (0)1223 334330
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8
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Yang B, Li C, Wang Z, Dai Q. Thermoplasmonics in Solar Energy Conversion: Materials, Nanostructured Designs, and Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2107351. [PMID: 35271744 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The indispensable requirement for sustainable development of human society has forced almost all countries to seek highly efficient and cost-effective ways to harvest and convert solar energy. Though continuous progress has advanced, it remains a daunting challenge to achieve full-spectrum solar absorption and maximize the conversion efficiency of sunlight. Recently, thermoplasmonics has emerged as a promising solution, which involves several beneficial effects including enhanced light absorption and scattering, generation and relaxation of hot carriers, as well as localized/collective heating, offering tremendous opportunities for optimized energy conversion. Besides, all these functionalities can be tailored via elaborated designs of materials and nanostructures. Here, first the fundamental physics governing thermoplasmonics is presented and then the strategies for both material selection and nanostructured designs toward more efficient energy conversion are summarized. Based on this, recent progress in thermoplasmonic applications including solar evaporation, photothermal chemistry, and thermophotovoltaic is reviewed. Finally, the corresponding challenges and prospects are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bei Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences CAS Research/Education Center for Excellence in Molecular Sciences Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Zhifeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Qing Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nanophotonic Materials and Devices, CAS Key Laboratory of Standardization and Measurement for Nanotechnology, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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9
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Ma J, Zhang X, Gao S. Tunable electron and hole injection channels at plasmonic Al-TiO 2 interfaces. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:14073-14080. [PMID: 34477688 DOI: 10.1039/d1nr03697a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Metallic nanostructures can strongly absorb light through their plasmon excitations, whose nonradiative decay generates hot electron-hole pairs. When the metallic nanostructure is interfaced with a semiconductor, the spatial separation of hot carriers plays the central and decisive roles in photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. In recent years, free-electron metals like Al have attracted tremendous attentions due to the much higher plasmon frequencies that could extend to the ultraviolet regime. Here, the plasmon excitations and charge separations at the Al-TiO2 interfaces have been investigated using quantum-mechanical calculations, where the atomic structures and electronic dynamics are all treated from first-principles. It is found that the high-frequency plasmon of Al produces abundant and broad-band hot-carrier distributions, where the electron-hole symmetry is broken by the presence of the semiconductor band gap. Such an asymmetric hot-carrier distribution provides two competing channels, which can be controlled either by tuning the laser frequency, or by harnessing the plasmon frequency through the geometry and shape of the metallic nanostructure. Our study suggests that the Al plasmon offers a versatile and tunable pathway for the charge transfer and separation, and has general implications in plasmon-assisted photovoltaics and photocatalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Ma
- Key Lab of Advanced Optoelectronic Quantum Architecture and Measurement (MOE), School of Physics and Advanced Research Institute of Multidisciplinary Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, China.
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