Behzad Tangeysh

Triangular gold nanoplate growth by oriented attachment of Au seeds generated by strong field laser reduction.

The synthesis of surfactant-free Au nanoplates is desirable for the development of biocompatible therapeutics/diagnostics. Rapid Δ-function energy deposition by irradiation of aqueous KAuCl4 solution with a 5 s burst of intense shaped laser pulses, followed by slow addition of H2O2, results in selective formation of nanoplates with no additional reagents. The primary mechanism of nanoplate formation is found to be oriented attachment of the spherical seeds, which self-recrystallize to form crystalline Au nanoplates.

Palladium metal nanoparticle size control through ion paired structures of [PdCl4]2− with protonated PDMAEMA

The mean diameter of palladium metal particles produced by citrate reduction of the (H(+))(n) PDMAEMA/[PdCl(4)](2-) aqueous system increases from 1.4 nm to 5.0 nm as the pH decreases from 6.3 to 3.3 and the (H(+))(n) PDMAEMA/[PdCl(4)](2-) species undergo conversion from a cross linked polymer network to a single chain structure.

Elucidating Strong Field Photochemical Reduction Mechanisms of Aqueous [AuCl4](-): Kinetics of Multiphoton Photolysis and Radical-Mediated Reduction.

Direct, multiphoton photolysis of aqueous metal complexes is found to play an important role in the formation of nanoparticles in solution by ultrafast laser irradiation. In situ absorption spectroscopy of aqueous [AuCl4](-) reveals two mechanisms of Au(0) nucleation: (1) direct multiphoton photolysis of [AuCl4](-) and (2) radical-mediated reduction of [AuCl4](-) upon multiphoton photolysis of water. Measurement of the reaction kinetics as a function of solution pH reveals zeroth-, first-, and second-order components. The radical-mediated process is found to be zeroth-order in [AuCl4](-) under acidic conditions, where the reaction rate is limited by the production of reactive radical species from water during each laser shot. Multiphoton photolysis is found to be first order in [AuCl4](-) at all pHs, whereas the autocatalytic reaction with H2O2, the photolytic reaction product of water, is second order.

Gold Nanotriangle Formation through Strong-Field Laser Processing of Aqueous KAuCl4 and Postirradiation Reduction by Hydrogen Peroxide

Femtosecond laser irradiation of aqueous KAuCl4 followed by postirradiation reduction with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is investigated as a new approach for the synthesis of gold nanotriangles (AuNTs) without any added surfactant molecules. Laser irradiation was applied for times ranging from 5 to 240 s, and postirradiation reduction of the solutions was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy. Laser processing of aqueous KAuCl4 for 240 s, where the full reduction of Au(III) occurred during irradiation, produced spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with an average size of 11.4 ± 3.4 nm. Irradiation for shorter times (i.e., 15 s) resulted in the formation of laser-generated AuNP seeds (5.7 ± 1.8 nm) in equilibrium with unreacted KAuCl4 after termination of laser irradiation. The postirradiation reduction of these solutions by H2O2 produced a mixture of spherical and triangular AuNPs. Decreasing the laser irradiation time from 45 to 5 s significantly reduced the number of laser-generated Au seeds, the amount of H2O2 produced, and the rate of postirradiation reduction, resulting in the formation of a large number of AuNTs with sizes increasing from 29.5 ± 10.2 to 125 ± 43.2 nm. Postirradiation reduction is kinetically inhibited in the absence of laser-generated AuNP seeds.

Anionically cross linked homopolymer colloids applied in formation of platinum nanoparticles

Diprotonic sulfuric and succinic acids react efficiently with the tertiary amine sites in polydimethylaminoethylmethacrylate (PDMAEMA) to produce polymer colloid nano-particles held together by dinegatively charged anions that cross link the partially protonated PDMAEMA homopolymer. This procedure is used to encorporate [PtCl(6)](2-) as a cross linker into the framework of well defined polymer network colloid particles that have dual roles as nanoreactors and a source of protective polymer coating. Reduction of the cross linking [PtCl(6)](2-) groups produces platinum metal nano-particles (1.12(.25)nm) that are relatively small and narrowly dispersed. Formation of colloid particles by reaction of diprotic acids with homopolymers that have proton accepting centers provides a convenient intentional route to incorporate a variety of homopolymers into self assembled polymer network materials for applications as nanoreactors and transport systems.