Chemistry Weekly Seminar - Sajna Simon
Sajna Simon, PhD Candidate, will present a seminar at 4:00 p.m. in Thorvaldson 271.
Title:
ELECTROCHEMICAL APPROACH FOR THE FORMATION OF 4-METHOXY PYRIDINE STABILISED METAL NANOSTRUCTURES
Abstract:
The formation of nanocrystal films electrodeposited on conductive electrodes offers several advantages compared to methods that produce nanoparticle dispersions. For example, electrodeposition offers much more precise control of the reductive conditions required to nucleate and grow nanostructures. Hence, in principle, it can be used to generate homogenous and densely populated metal nanoparticle films. Such films serve as excellent platforms for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors for biomedical and related applications.
Metal nanostructures with high enhancement factor and good chemical stability are one of the focuses in SERS research. This seminar will present the electrodeposition of anisotropic gold nanostructures controlled by the presence of a pyridine capping agent, 4-methoxy pyridine (Py). Particular emphasis will be made on the electrochemical behavior of Au (III) in the presence of 4-methoxypyridine in aqueous electrolytes. Anisotropic gold nanostructures formed electrochemically by the reduction of Au (III) salt shows strong surface plasmon-polariton excitation that extends into the near-IR region (λmax ≈1000 nm) and is shown to have surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement factor greater than 106 for monolayers of 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP). Lastly the talk will highlight on the on-going challenges in understanding the nucleation and growth study of the Py stabilised gold nanostructures.