Structural colors: from plasmonic to carbon nanostructures

In addition to colorant-based pigmentation, structure is a major contributor to a material's color. In nature, structural color is often caused by the interaction of light with dielectric structures whose dimensions are on the order of visible-light wavelengths. Different optical interactions including multilayer interference, light scattering, the photonic crystal effect, and combinations thereof give rise to selective transmission or reflection of particular light wavelengths, which leads to the generation of structural color. Recent developments in nanofabrication of plasmonic and carbon nanostructures have opened another efficient way to control light properties at the subwavelength scale, including visible-light wavelength selection, which can produce structural color. In this Concept, the most relevant and representative achievements demonstrated over the last several years are presented and analyzed. These plasmonic and carbon nanostructures are believed to offer great potential for high-resolution color displays and spectral filtering applications.     

A designer approach to plasmonic nanostructures: tuning their resonance from visible to near-infrared

Using Green's matrix method and resonance capacity concept, surface plasmon resonances of metallic nanostrips are investigated. We first show how the resonance wavelength is determined by the geometric parameters. Then, resonances from visible to near-infrared, depending on the strip size, are obtained. For a specific nanostrip-type, a linear tunability of resonance wavelength is demonstrated from λ_R = 900 nm to λ_R = 1800 nm by merely changing the dimensions and keeping the aspect ratio fixed. It is also found that the near field is more enhanced around the thin and long nanostrip. These results can act as a guide in practical design work.     

A facile route to synthesis of AgInS2 nanostructures

AgInS₂ nanoparticles have been synthesized via a facile one-step process using AgNO₃, thiosemicarbazid (TSC) and InCl₃·4H₂O as starting reagents from propylene glycol solution. The effects of concentration of precursors, reaction time and type of sulfur sources on the morphology and particle size were also studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were used to characterize the obtained products.     

Nanorice: a hybrid plasmonic nanostructure

We have designed and fabricated a new hybrid nanoparticle that combines the intense local fields of nanorods with the highly tunable plasmon resonances of nanoshells. This dielectric core-metallic shell prolate spheroid nanoparticle bears a remarkable resemblance to a grain of rice, inspiring the name "nanorice". This geometry possesses far greater structural tunability than either a nanorod or a nanoshell, along with much larger local field intensity enhancements and far greater sensitivity as a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) nanosensor than any dielectric-metal nanostructures reported previously. Invoking the plasmon hybridization picture allows us to understand the plasmon resonances of this geometry, as arising from a hybridization of the primitive plasmons of a solid spheroid and an ellipsoidal cavity inside a continuous metal.     

A new hydrothermal route for synthesis of molybdenum disulphide nanorods and related nanostructures

A simple approach to prepare nanorods of Molybdenum Disulphide (MoS2) using hydrothermal method by reacting aqueous solutions of (NH4)6Mo7O24.4H20, C2H4NS and Na2S2O4 at 190 degrees C for 24 h is described. The hydrothermal product has been subsequently subjected to the thermal treatment in nitrogen atmosphere at 675 degrees C for 6 h and characterized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the hydrothermal product indicated the formation of MoS2 relatively with much lower crystallinity compared to when it thermally treated. Energy dispersive analysis (EDX) was done to know the chemical composition of the product. TEM showed onset growth of MoS2 nanorods within the hydrothermal products itself and in thermally treated products it was prominent with the diameter of the nanorods ranging between 10-20 nm. Photoluminescence spectra MoS2 nanorods shows an intense absorbance at around 429 nm. TGA of the MoS2 nanorods in air and nitrogen atmosphere has also been studied. The extent of formation of MoS2 from the precursors obtained at 190 degrees C for duration of 12, 18, and 24 h and annealed at 675 degrees C for 6 h under nitrogen atmosphere is also demonstrated based on XRD data.     

Interfacially organized DNA/polycation complexes: a route to new planar polymeric and composite nanostructures

Effects of nano-scale supramolecular organization and patterning in amphiphilic polycation monolayer formed by poly-4-vinilpyridine with 16% cetylpyridinium groups and in novel planar DNA/amphiphilic polycation complexes formed at the air-aqueous DNA solution interface and deposited on the solid substrates have been studied using AFM. Stable ordered quasi-crystalline planar polymeric monolayer structures were formed by amphiphilic polycation molecules. Extended net-like and quasi-circular toroidal condensed conformations of deposited planar DNA/amphiphilic polycation complexes were obtained in dependence on the amphiphilic polycation Langmuir monolayer state during the DNA binding. Those monolayer and multilayer DNA/polycation complex Langmuir–Blodgett films were used as templates and nanoreactors for generation of inorganic nanostructures. As a result, ultrathin polymeric nanocomposite films with integrated DNA building blocks and inorganic semiconductor (CdS) and iron oxide nanoparticle quasi-linear arrays or aggregates (nanorods) were formed successfully and characterized by TEM. The data obtained give evidence for effectiveness of the monolayer techniques for study mechanisms of DNA structural transformations caused by complexation with cationic compounds and demonstrate its perspectives for creation of new planar DNA-based self-organized stable polymeric complex nanostructures and nanocomposites with nano-scale structural ordering.     

Phase and polarization control as a route to plasmonic nanodevices

We extend the concepts of phase, polarization, and feedback control of matter to develop a general approach for guiding light in the nanoscale via nanoparticle arrays. The phase and polarization of the excitation source are first introduced as tools for control over the pathway of light at array intersections. Genetic algorithms are next applied as a systematic design tool, wherein both the excitation field parameters and the structural parameters of the nanoparticle array are optimized to make devices with desired functionality. Implications to research fields such as single molecule spectroscopy, spatially confined chemistry, optical logic, and nanoscale sensing are envisioned.     

A facile thermal decomposition route to synthesise CoFe2O4 nanostructures

The synthesis of CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles has been achieved by a simple thermal decomposition method from an inorganic precursor, cobalt ferrous cinnamate hydrazinate (CoFe₂(cin)₃(N₂H₄)₃) which was obtained by a novel precipitation method from the corresponding metal salts, cinnamic acid and hydrazine hydrate. The precursor was characterized by hydrazine and metal analyses, infrared spectral analysis and thermo gravimetric analysis. Under appropriate annealing, CoFe₂(cin)₃(N₂H₄)₃ yielded CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles, which were characterized for their size and structure using X-Ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) techniques.     

A rational elemental-directed alcohol-thermal route to CdSe nanostructures for thin film solar cells

We have reported an alcohol-thermal method to in-situ synthesis of Cadmium Selenide (CdSe) nanocrystals/thin films on Cd/indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates through a direct reaction of Se and Cd. In the synthetic system, ligands and surfactants are not introduced, and concentration of reaction precursors is not high, thus not only it is a very economic and environmental-friendly route, but also the CdSe film without any impurities is obtained. The Cd deposited on ITO substrates by magnetron sputtering acted as dual roles: reactant source and hard template for the final product. The microstructure is analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is deposited on CdSe film to fabricate a hybrid thin film solar cell device with ITO/CdSe/P3HT/Al structure to demonstrate solar light to electrical energy conversion.     

Template-free mechanochemical route to prepare crystalline and electroactive polydiphenylamine nanostructures

A facile and sustainable mechanochemical route for the synthesis of undoped polydiphenylamine (PDPA) and inorganic acid doped nanostructures are reported. Field emission scanning electron microscopic (FESEM) images highlighted the formation of distinctly different nanostructures for each of the inorganic acid doped PDPA. Elemental analysis carried out for the polymers revealed the presence of more repeating units in their backbone. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results of the as-prepared PDPA nanostructures indicated the high degree of crystallinity ever reported for PDPA. Spectroscopic profile of the polymers showed that the prepared PDPA is in a doped conducting form. Electrochemical studies performed for the polymeric particles ascertained the redox behaviour and the good electrochemical activity of obtained PDPA samples. The probable mechanistic aspect behind the formation of PDPA nanostructures through this simple and efficient route is discussed.     

A facile polymer templating route toward high-aspect-ratio crystalline titania nanostructures

High-aspect-ratio rutile and anatase hybrid nanowires are produced via a template-directed process using a novel cylindrical polyelectrolyte brush template. Loading the highly negatively charged 1D templates with pre-synthesized TiO(2) nanocrystals, results in the fabrication of soluble crystalline TiO(2) hybrid nanowires.     

A simple route to V2O5·xH2O bundle-like nanostructures

V₂O₅·xH₂O bundle-like nanostructures composed of nanobelts have been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method with the aid of Co²⁺. The widths, thickness and lengths of V₂O₅·xH₂O nanobelts are 80–100 nm, 10–20 nm, and several micrometers, respectively. The morphologies and the crystallographic structures of the V₂O₅·xH₂O bundle-like nanostructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction (ED). The effects of the inorganic ions and reaction temperature on the morphologies of the resulting products have been investigated.     

A new bio-inspired route to metal-nanoparticle-based heterogeneous catalysts

Onion-type multilamellar vesicles are made of concentric bilayers of organic surfactant and are mainly known for their potential applications in biotechnology. They can be used as microreactors for the spontaneous and controlled production of metal nanoparticles. This process does not require any thermal treatment and, hence, it is also attractive for material sciences such as heterogeneous catalysis. In this paper, silver-nanoparticle-based catalysts are prepared by transferring onion-grown silver nanoparticles onto inorganic supports. The resulting materials are active in the total oxidation of benzene, attesting that this novel bio-inspired concept is promising in inorganic catalysis.     

Hyperbranched CdTe nanostructures via a self-assembly route: optical properties

In this work, we report a luminescent nanobundle structure formed by a hierarchical self-assembly process of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped CdTe quantum dots (QDs). The luminescence intensity of CdTe nanostructures is high enough to get a clear one-photon excitation confocal image. High contrast two-photon excitation confocal images suggest that the nonlinear properties of pristine QDs are well inherited by the formed CdTe nanostructures. The controllability of the structures and inheritance of the optical properties of the building units make the self-assembled nanostructures new generation materials.     

A new route to synthesis of γ-alumina nanorods

γ-Alumina single-crystalline nanorods have been successfully synthesized by thermal decomposition of boehmite precursor which was prepared by solvothermally treating AlCl₃ ⁎ 6H₂O, NaOH, sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate in water and dimethylbenzene mixed solvents. The products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Our experiments show that the surfactant plays an important role in the morphology and assembly of boehmite. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrum of the boehmite nanorods was also investigated.