Abstract: Multifunctional metal nanoparticles (NPs) such as anisotropic multimetallic NPs are crucial for boosting nanomaterial based applications. Advanced synthetic protocols exist to make a large variety of such nanostructures. However, a major limiting factor for the usability of them in real life applications is their stability. Here, we show that Au/Pd octopods, 8-branched nanocrystals with Oh symmetry, with only a low amount of Pd exhibited a high thermal stability and maintained strong plasmon resonances up to 600 ◦C. Furthermore, we study the influence of the composition, morphology and environment on the thermal stability and define key parameters for the design of thermally stable multifunctional NPs.

Abstract: Anisotropic bimetallic nanoparticles are promising candidates for plasmonic and catalytic applications. Their catalytic performance and plasmonic properties are closely linked to the distribution of the two metals, which can change during applications in which the particles are exposed to heat. Due to this fact, correlating the thermal stability of complex heterogeneous nanoparticles to their microstructural properties is of high interest for the practical applications of such materials. Here, we employ quantitative electron tomography in high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADFSTEM) mode to measure the 3D elemental diffusion dynamics in individual anisotropic Au−Ag nanoparticles upon heating in situ. This approach allows us to study the elemental redistribution in complex, asymmetric nanoparticles on a single particle level, which has been inaccessible to other techniques so far. In this work, we apply the proposed method to compare the alloying dynamics of Au−Ag nanoparticles with different shapes and compositions and find that the shape of the nanoparticle does not exhibit a significant effect on the alloying speed whereas the composition does. Finally, comparing the experimental results to diffusion simulations allows us to estimate the diffusion coefficients of the metals for individual nanoparticles.

Abstract: As narrow band gap nanocrystals become a considerable building block for the design of infrared sensors, device design needs to match their actual operating conditions. While in the near and shortwave infrared, room-temperature operation has been demonstrated, longer wavelengths still require low-temperature operations and thus specific design. Here, we discuss how field-effect transistors (FETs) can be compatible with low-temperature detection. To reach this goal, two key developments are proposed. First, we report the gating of nanocrystal films from SrTiO3 which leads to high gate capacitance with leakage and breakdown free operation in the 4-100 K range. Second, we demonstrate that this FET is compatible with a plasmonic resonator whose role is to achieve strong light absorption from a thin film used as the channel of the FET. Combining three resonances, broadband absorption from 1.5 to 3 mu m reaching 30% is demonstrated. Finally, combining gate and enhanced light-matter coupling, we show that detectivity can be as high as 10(12) Jones for a device presenting a 3 mu m cutoff wavelength and 30 K operation.

Abstract: Chemically synthesized metal nanoparticles with morphological chiral features are known to exhibit strong circular dichroism. However, we still lack understanding of the correlation between morphological and chiroptical features of plasmonic nanoparticles. To shed light on that question, single nanoparticle experiments are required. We performed photothermal circular dichroism measurements of single chiral and achiral gold nanoparticles and correlated the chiroptical response to the 3D morphology of the same nanoparticles retrieved by electron tomography. In contrast to an ensemble measurement, we show that individual particles within the ensemble display a broad distribution of strength and handedness of circular dichroism signals. Whereas obvious structural chiral features, such as helical wrinkles, translate into chiroptical ones, nanoparticles with less obvious chiral morphological features can also display strong circular dichroism signals. Interestingly, we find that even seemingly achiral nanoparticles can display large g-factors. The origin of this circular dichroism signal is discussed in terms of plasmonics and other potentially relevant factors.

Abstract: Gold nanorod supercrystals have been widely employed for the detection of relevant bioanalytes with detection limits ranging from nano- to picomolar levels,
confirming the promising nature of these structures for biosensing. Even though a relationship between the height of the supercrystal (i.e., the number of stacked nanorod layers)and the enhancement factor has been proposed, no systematic
study has been reported. In order to tackle this problem, we prepared gold nanorod supercrystals with varying numbers of stacked layers and analyzed them extensively by atomic force microscopy, electron microscopy and surface enhanced Raman scattering. The experimental results were compared to numerical
simulations performed on real-size supercrystals composed of thousands of nanorod building blocks. Analysis of the hot spot distribution in the simulated supercrystals showed the presence of standing waves that were distributed at different depths, depending on the number of layers in each supercrystal. On the basis of these theoretical results, we interpreted the experimental
data in terms of analyte penetration into the topmost layer only, which indicates that diffusion to the interior of the supercrystals would be crucial if the complete field enhancement produced by the stacked nanorods is to be exploited. We propose that our conclusions will be of high relevance in the design of next generation plasmonic devices.

Abstract: Direct hydroxylation via the functionalization of tertiary benzylic C(sp3)-H bond is of great significance for obtaining tertiary alcohols which find wide applications in pharmaceuticals as well as in fine chemical industries. However, current synthetic procedures use toxic reagents and therefore, the development of a sustainable strategy for the synthesis of tertiary benzyl alcohols is highly desirable. To solve this problem, herein, we report a metal-free
heterogeneous photocatalyst to synthesize the hydroxylated products using oxygen as the key reagent. Various benzylic substrates were employed into our mild reaction conditions to afford the desirable products in good to excellent yields. More importantly, gram-scale reaction was achieved via harvesting direct solar energy and exhibited high quantity of the product. The high stability of the catalyst was proved via recycling the catalyst and spectroscopic analyses. Finally, a possible mechanism was proposed based on the EPR and other experimental
evidence.

Abstract: Ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets (NSs) possess extraordinary properties that are attractive for both fundamental studies and technological devices. Solution-based bottom-up methods are emerging as promising routes to produce free-standing NSs, but the synthesis of colloidal NSs with well-defined size and shape has remained a major challenge. In this work, we report a novel method that yields 2 nm thick colloidal Cu2-xS NSs with well-defined shape (triangular or hexagonal) and size (100 nm to 3 mu m). The key feature of our approach is the use of a synergistic interaction between halides (Br or Cl) and copper-thiolate metal-organic frameworks to create a template that imposes 2D constraints on the Cu-catalyzed C-S thermolysis, resulting in nucleation and growth of colloidal 2D Cu2-xS NSs. Moreover, the NS composition can be postsynthetically tailored by exploiting topotactic cation exchange reactions. This is illustrated by converting the Cu2-xS NSs into ZnS and CdS NSs while preserving their size and shape. The method presented here thus holds great promise as a route to solution-processable compositionally diverse ultrathin colloidal NSs with well-defined shape and size.

Abstract: The wide range of liquid-phase reactions required for the catalytic conversion of biomass compounds into new bioplatform molecules defines a new set of challenges for the development of active, selective, and stable catalysts. The potential of bifunctional Ru/H-USY catalysts for conversions in hot liquid water (HLW) is assessed in terms of physicochemical stability and long-term catalytic performance of acid sites and noble metal functionality, as probed by hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose. It is shown that zeolite desilication is the main zeolite degradation mechanism in HLW. USY zeolite stability depends on two main parameters, viz., framework and extra-framework aluminum content. The former protects the zeolite lattice by counteracting hydrolysis of framework bonds, and the latter, when located at the external crystal surface, prevents solubilization of the zeolite framework which is the result of its low water-solubility. Hence, the hot liquid water stability of commercial H-USY zeolites, in contrast to their steam stability, increased with decreasing Si/AI ratio. As a result, mildly steamed USY zeolites containing a high amount of both Al species exhibit the highest resistance to HLW. During an initial period of transformations, Al-rich zeolites form additional protective extra-framework Al species at the outer surface, self-stabilizing the framework. A critical bulk Si/AI ratio of 3 was determined whereby USY zeolites with a lower Si/AI ratio will self-stabilize over time. Besides, due to the initial transformation period, the accessibility of the catalytic active sites is extensively enhanced resulting in a material that is more stable and drastically more accessible to large substrates than the original zeolite. When these findings are applied in the hydrolytic hydrogenation of cellulose, unprecedented nearly quantitative hexitol yields were obtained with a stable catalytic system.

Abstract: We report the colloidal synthesis of a series of surfactant-stabilized lead chalcohalide nanocrystals. Our work is mainly focused on Pb4S3Br2, a chalcohalide phase unknown to date that does not belong to the ambient-pressure PbS-PbBr2 phase diagram. The Pb4S3Br2 nanocrystals herein feature a remarkably narrow size distribution (with a size dispersion as low as 5%), a good size tunability (from 7 to similar to 30 nm), an indirect bandgap, photoconductivity (responsivity = 4 +/- 1 mA/W), and stability for months in air. A crystal structure is proposed for this new material by combining the information from 3D electron diffraction and electron tomography of a single nanocrystal, X-ray powder diffraction, and density functional theory calculations. Such a structure is closely related to that of the recently discovered high-pressure chalcohalide Pb4S3I2 phase, and indeed we were able to extend our synthesis scheme to Pb4S3I2 colloidal nanocrystals, whose structure matches the one that has been published for the bulk. Finally, we could also prepare nanocrystals of Pb3S2Cl2, which proved to be a structural analogue of the recently reported bulk Pb3Se2Br2 phase. It is remarkable that one high-pressure structure (for Pb4S3I2) and two metastable structures that had not yet been reported (for Pb4S3Br2 and Pb3S2Cl2) can be prepared on the nanoscale by wet-chemical approaches. This highlights the important role of colloidal chemistry in the discovery of new materials and motivates further exploration into metal chalcohalide nanocrystals.

Abstract: The differentiation between missing linker defects
and missing cluster defects in MOFs is difficult, thereby limiting the
ability to correlate materials properties to a specific type of defects.
Herein, we present a novel and easy synthesis strategy for the
creation of solely “missing cluster defects” by preparing mixed-metal
(Zn, Zr)-UiO-66 followed by a gentle acid wash to remove the Zn
nodes. The resulting material has the reo UiO-66 structure, typical
for well-defined missing cluster defects. The missing clusters are
thoroughly characterized, including low-pressure Ar-sorption, iDPCSTEM
at a low dose (1.5 pA), and XANES/EXAFS analysis. We
show that the missing cluster UiO-66 has a negligible number of missing linkers. We show the performance of the missing cluster
UiO-66 in CO2 sorption and heterogeneous catalysis.

Abstract: Hetero-nanocrystals consisting of a CdSe core and a giant CdS shell have shown remarkable optical properties which are promising for applications in opto-electrical devices. Since these properties sensitively depend on the size and shape, a morphological characterization is of high interest. Here, we present a High Angle Annular Dark Field Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (HAADF-STEM) study of CdSe (core) / CdS (giant shell) hetero-nanocrystals. Electron tomography reveals that the nanocrystals have a bullet shape, either ending in a tip or a small dip, and that the CdSe core is positioned closer to the tip (or dip) than to the hexagonal base. Based on a high resolution HAADF-STEM study, we were able to determine all the surface facets. We present a heuristic model for the different growth stages of the CdS crystal around the CdSe core.

Abstract: We show here that thermal treatment of small seeds results in extensive twinning and a subsequent drastic yield improvement (>85%) in the formation of pentatwinned nanoparticles, with pre-selected morphology (nanorods, bipyramids and decahedra) and aspect ratio. The “quality” of the seeds thus defines the yield of the obtained nanoparticles, which in the case of nanorods avoids the need for additives such as Ag+ ions. This modified seeded growth method also improves reproducibility, as the seeds can be stored for extended periods of time without compromising the quality of the final nanoparticles. Additionally, minor modification of the seeds with Pd allows their localization within the final particles, which opens new avenues toward mechanistic studies. All together, these results represent a paradigm shift in anisotropic gold nanoparticle synthesis.

Abstract: Synthesis protocols for anisotropic CuInX2 (X = S, Se, Te)-based heteronanocrystals (HNCs) are scarce due to the difficulty in balancing the reactivities of multiple precursors and the high solid-state diffusion rates of the cations involved in the CuInX2 lattice. In this work, we report a multistep seeded growth synthesis protocol that yields colloidal wurtzite CuInS2/ZnS dot core/rod shell HNCs with photoluminescence in the NIR (∼800 nm). The wurtzite CuInS2 NCs used as seeds are obtained by topotactic partial Cu+ for In3+ cation exchange in template Cu2–xS NCs. The seed NCs are injected in a hot solution of zinc oleate and hexadecylamine in octadecene, 20 s after the injection of sulfur in octadecene. This results in heteroepitaxial growth of wurtzite ZnS primarily on the Sulfur-terminated polar facet of the CuInS2 seed NCs, the other facets being overcoated only by a thin (∼1 monolayer) shell. The fast (∼21 nm/min) asymmetric axial growth of the nanorod proceeds by addition of [ZnS] monomer units, so that the polarity of the terminal (002) facet is preserved throughout the growth. The delayed injection of the CuInS2 seed NCs is crucial to allow the concentration of [ZnS] monomers to build up, thereby maximizing the anisotropic heteroepitaxial growth rates while minimizing the rates of competing processes (etching, cation exchange, alloying). Nevertheless, a mild etching still occurred, likely prior to the onset of heteroepitaxial overgrowth, shrinking the core size from 5.5 to ∼4 nm. The insights provided by this work open up new possibilities in designing multifunctional Cu-chalcogenide based colloidal heteronanocrystals.

Abstract: We report the atomic layer deposition of titanium dioxide on carbon nanosheet templates and investigate the effects of postdeposition annealing in a helium environment using different characterization techniques. The crystallization of the titanium dioxide coating upon annealing is observed using in situ X-ray diffraction. The (micro)structural characterization of the films is carried out by scanning electron microscopy and advanced transmission electron microscopy techniques. Our study shows that the annealing of the atomic layer deposition processed and carbon nanosheets templated titanium dioxide layers in helium environment resulting in the formation of a porous, nanocrystalline and photocatalytically active titanium dioxide-carbon nanosheet composite film. Such composites are suitable for photocatalysis and dye-sensitized solar cells applications.

Abstract: Colloidal coreshell semiconductor nanocrystals form an important class of optoelectronic materials, in which the exciton wave functions can be tailored by the atomic configuration of the core, the interfacial layers, and the shell. Here, we provide a trustful 3D characterization at the atomic scale of a free-standing PbSe(core)CdSe(shell) nanocrystal by combining electron microscopy and discrete tomography. Our results yield unique insights for understanding the process of cation exchange, which is widely employed in the synthesis of coreshell nanocrystals. The study that we present is generally applicable to the broad range of colloidal heteronanocrystals that currently emerge as a new class of materials with technological importance.