View Item 
        •   Utrecht University Student Theses Repository Home
        • UU Theses Repository
        • Theses
        • View Item
        •   Utrecht University Student Theses Repository Home
        • UU Theses Repository
        • Theses
        • View Item
        JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

        Browse

        All of UU Student Theses RepositoryBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

        Synthesis and Self-Assembly of Gold and Gold-Silver Nanorods

        Thumbnail
        View/Open
        Bransen.MSc.thesis.pdf (81.57Mb)
        Publication date
        2017
        Author
        Bransen, M.
        Metadata
        Show full item record
        Summary
        Gold nanoparticles are widely studied because of their interesting optical properties and chemical stability, with applications such as (photo)catalysis, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, data storage and photothermal (cancer) treatment. In particular, gold nanorods (AuNRs) have been extensively studied due to their excellent plasmonic properties. The anisotropic shape of the nanorods results in both a strong and highly tunable plasmon resonance from 500 to 1200 nm, depending on the aspect ratio of the rods. In addition to this, the plasmonic properties of the AuNRs can be tuned and enhanced by self-assembling the rods into larger structures, whereby plasmonic hot spots are created between the particles. Enhanced plasmonic properties in the visible spectrum can be achieved by introducing a second metal such as silver, which has superior plasmonic properties compared to gold. In this project, we first synthesized Au-Ag nanorods with either a core-shell or a homogeneously alloyed structure. The latter could be achieved by heating the Au-Ag core-shell NRs under an inert or reducing atmosphere, without losing the anisotropy of the NRs. We studied the influence of composition and metal distribution on the optical properties and gained insight into the influence of the gas atmosphere on the alloying. Secondly, the plasmonic properties of AuNRs could be enhanced by self-assembly into novel plasmonic structures. The phase behaviour of silica-coated AuNRs was studied in 2D and in spherical confinement via solvent evaporation. Using this method it was possible to form spherical supra-particles consisting of ordered AuNRs, which may be interesting for applications such as SERS and plasmon-enhanced fluorescence due to plasmonic hot-spots between the tips of aligned AuNRs.
        URI
        https://studenttheses.uu.nl/handle/20.500.12932/28184
        Collections
        • Theses
        Utrecht university logo