Investigation of the structure-function relation of plasmonic nanoparticles with combined theory and experiment
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Materials Science & Metallurgy
Abstract
Plasmonics is a developing field enclosing many challenges both in theoretical background and in potential applications, which range from sensors and photocatalysis to biomedical applications. These enhanced interactions occurring between metal nanoparticles and light are of particular interest as they could be used to harvest solar energy, towards sun-driven catalysis.
In this project, plasmonic nanoparticles of Au, Ag, and Mg will be synthesized. Some of these are routine syntheses that will be used as templates for more complex structures, while some, e.g. Mg, are novel syntheses that need careful testing and optimization. The light-matter interactions created by these particles will be investigated first optically using hyperspectral dark field spectroscopy, then in the near-field using electron-energy loss spectroscopy. These results will be correlated with electron microscopy and spectroscopy, which will unravel the nanoparticle's size, shape, and composition. Experimental data will be compared and further analysed with suitably tailored numerical techniques (BEM) to extract information such as near-field properties and mode symmetry.
This research will help better understand the structure-property relation of plasmonic nanoparticles, towards tunable plasmonics for enhanced photocatalysis.
In this project, plasmonic nanoparticles of Au, Ag, and Mg will be synthesized. Some of these are routine syntheses that will be used as templates for more complex structures, while some, e.g. Mg, are novel syntheses that need careful testing and optimization. The light-matter interactions created by these particles will be investigated first optically using hyperspectral dark field spectroscopy, then in the near-field using electron-energy loss spectroscopy. These results will be correlated with electron microscopy and spectroscopy, which will unravel the nanoparticle's size, shape, and composition. Experimental data will be compared and further analysed with suitably tailored numerical techniques (BEM) to extract information such as near-field properties and mode symmetry.
This research will help better understand the structure-property relation of plasmonic nanoparticles, towards tunable plasmonics for enhanced photocatalysis.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP/N509620/1 | 01/10/2016 | 30/09/2022 | |||
| 2110054 | Studentship | EP/N509620/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/06/2022 | Christina Boukouvala |
| EP/R513180/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2023 | |||
| 2110054 | Studentship | EP/R513180/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/06/2022 | Christina Boukouvala |
| Description | The first key research work, supported by the award, has been the development of a graphical user interface (GUI) that creates crystallographically correct dipole arrays and associated files for numerical simulations. In short, the GUI first performs nanoparticle shape modelling based on the kinetic Wulff construction, applicable on the vast majority of shapes found in nanoparticles of face-centred cubic metals (Al, Cu, Ag, Au) including core-shell nanoparticles. Then, it enables the creation of a typically challenging step in numerical simulations: the creation of the input geometry file for DDSCAT, a popular package to solve Maxwell's equations. A significant finding, that was inspired by the work on Wulff constructon, has been the modelling of Mg nanoparticle shapes who form striking new shapes due to their hexagonal close-packed structure. We predicted that, when twinned along one of the four low-energy twin boundaries, Mg forms folded shapes in which the angle is determined by the twin plane explaining Mg nanoparticle shapes synthesised in my group or reported in the literature. The folded structures, which we named tents, chairs, tacos, and kites, have a wide range of plasmon resonances that are size- and shape-dependent. Results from systematic optical and electron beam excitation simulations have revealed the plasmonic shape dependence of these nanoparticles across a broad spectrum wavelengths. The exciting results on magnesium plasmonic nanoparticles have opened up new avenues of collaborations, more specifically, their characterisation via spectroscopy measurements, which lead to a research internship in the group of Prof. Denis Boudreau in Canada for proof of concept experiments on Mg's ability to enhance fluorescence. |
| Exploitation Route | Nanoparticle shape has been central to nanotechnology over the past few decades and is still as critical as ever, since, at the nanoscale, shape dictates their properties. Therefore, the developed GUI is expected to be very useful to researchers in the field of synthesis and modelling of nanoparticles particularly for applications in plasmonics. Mg is an Earth-abundant, biocompatible and cheap metal with plasmonic properties competitive to that of the other well-established plasmonic materials. By shedding light on the optical properties of Mg nanoparticles, we can help guide nanoparticle syntheses tailored to applications that exploit light-matter interactions, usually involving sensing, displays, photocatalysis or medical treatments. Furthermore, the investigation of magnesium suitability for fluorescence enhancement is the firts step towards it's exploitation as a sustainable and biocompatible platform for sensing applications such as in environmental monitoring, food quality control or biological sensing. |
| Sectors | Chemicals,Energy,Environment,Healthcare |
| URL | https://www.on.msm.cam.ac.uk/code.html |
| Description | Globalink Research Award |
| Amount | $6,000 (CAD) |
| Organisation | Mitacs |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | Canada |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | Graduate Tutor's Award |
| Amount | £800 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Department | Magdalene College |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Description | Travel Award |
| Amount | £350 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Cambridge Philosophical Society |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 12/2021 |