Functional nanoparticles and nanoparticle assemblies

这项提议涉及开发制造纳米尺度的受控物质组件的方法。在这些小维度上，许多材料表现出与它们的宏观类似物截然不同的性质。此外，纳米材料的性质通常可以通过尺寸和结构组织的细微变化来调节。 在单相单个纳米粒子的情况下，性能由大小、形状、组成和结晶度等因素决定。通过使用更复杂的混合体系结构，例如核壳粒子，可以进一步细化属性。最后，在纳米颗粒组装的情况下，功能不仅取决于组成颗粒的性质，而且还取决于它们的精确组织方式。该研究计划的总体目标是开发自下而上的方法，在不同的等级水平上控制纳米材料的结构。 可以根据所调查材料的确切化学性质来确定更具体的目标。拟议的研究集中在两种类型的纳米粒子：含有稀土离子的无机发光粒子和由贵金属组成的等离子体粒子。对于发光粒子，研究的主要目标是制备定义明确的核壳粒子，用于研究光物理过程，如能量转移和上转换。在金属纳米粒子的情况下，目标是利用表面自组装来产生有序的纳米结构，以优化等离子体耦合。 可以预期，所提出的研究具有基础和应用意义。在基本层面上，将开发受控纳米颗粒合成和定向颗粒组装的方法，这些方法可以推广到其他系统。通过研究计划开发的特定材料无论是作为生物成像的发光探针还是在等离子体传感设备中都将具有应用意义。

This proposal involves the development of methods for the fabrication of controlled assemblies of matter at the nanometer length scale. At these small dimensions, many materials exhibit properties that are distinctly different from their macroscopic analogues. Furthermore, the properties of nanomaterials can often be modulated by subtle changes in size and structural organisation. In the case of single-phase individual nanoparticles, properties are determined by factors such as size, shape, composition and crystallinity. Properties can be further refined through the use of more complex, hybrid architectures, such as core-shell particles. Finally, in the case of nanoparticle assemblies, function will depend on not only the properties of the constituent particles, but also the precise way in which they are organised. The overall objective of the research program is the development of bottom-up methods for the structural control of nanomaterials at different hierarchical levels. More specific objectives can be defined based on the exact chemical nature of the materials investigated. The proposed research focuses on two types of nanoparticles: inorganic luminescent particles containing lanthanide ions and plasmonic particles composed of noble metals. In the case of luminescent particles, the primary objective of the research is the preparation of well-defined, core-shell particles designed for the investigation of photophysical processes such as energy transfer and upconversion. In the case of metal nanoparticles, the goal is to employ surface self-assembly to produce organised nanostructures for the optimisation of plasmonic coupling. The proposed research can be anticipated to be of both fundamental and applied significance. On a fundamental level, methods will be developed for controlled nanoparticle synthesis and directed particle assembly that can be generalised to other systems. The specific materials developed though the research program will be of applied significance either as luminescent probes for biological imaging or in plasmonic sensing devices.