1D metal nanostructures

One-dimensional nanostructures comprising noble metals are promising materials for applications e.g. in electronic or optical devices, due to properties which arise from their anisotropic morphology. However, the synthesis of such materials often requires complicated multi-step procedures or is difficult to handle.

We have recently developed a novel and facile route to form coat submicron silica spheres with silver nanoparticle necklaces via wet-chemical treatment and subsequent storage under ambient conditions.

The effect that the silver nanoparticles are aligned in necklaces on the silica spheres is only caused by the intrinsic chemical behaviour of the used materials as no explicit addition of a reducing or templating agent is needed. This makes the process simple, cheap and potentially highly scalable.

We are especially interested in the optical properties of such particles since they may display resonances in their magnetization at optical frequencies and thus meets requirements for the formation of, for example, negative index metamaterials.

Moreover, we are interested in the shape stabilization of gold and silver nanorods produced by Murphy’s CTAB method. In collaboration with C. Damm we are looking for the reason for the decay of silver nanorods and how to prevent them from

decaying into spherical particles. The results from this project may also be of help to stabilize the shape of patchy particles.

For more information contact Mathias Hanisch