Seed-Mediated Growth of Gold Nanorods Directly on Surfaces: Growth Mechanism, Functionalization, and Electronic Properties

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Professor Francis P. Zamborini of the University of Louisville is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program in the Division of Chemistry to conduct research on the chemical seed-mediated growth of one-dimensional gold nanorods directly on surfaces. The goal is to gain a better understanding of the growth mechanism so that high yields of gold nanorods with highly controlled size and shape can be synthesized and assembled on surfaces using simple wet chemical methods. The evolution of gold nanoparticle seeds into gold nanorods will be directly monitored by microscopic methods, and the effect of electrical potential on the growth of one-dimensional structures will be studied. The role of the initial seed structure in the seed-mediated growth process and the effect of the amount of reducing agent and surfactant on the size and shape of the nanostructures will be investigated. Finally individual gold nanorods will be manipulated across electrode gaps with an atomic force microscopy tip in order to study the effect of their size, shape, and functionalization on their electronic properties. This research will lead to a better understanding of how to control the size and shape of chemically and electrochemically synthesized one-dimensional nanostructures to be used in miniaturized electronic devices. One-dimensional metal nanorods have potential applications in nanoelectronics, chemical sensing, spectroscopy enhancement, and as surface plasmon waveguides. Nanotechnology will also be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum to expose students to this field at an early stage of their career, and undergraduate students will participate in all aspects of this research.