Abstracts Book - IMRC 2018

• SD4-O003 Invited Talk
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF EARTH-ABUNDANT
NANOPLASMONICS
Emilie Ringe 1
1 Rice University, MSNE, United States.
Nanoparticles (NPs) of some metals (commonly Cu, Ag, and Au) sustain
oscillations of their electron cloud called localized surface plasmon resonances
(LSPRs). These resonances can occur at optical frequencies and be driven by
light, generating enhanced electric fields and spectacular photon scattering,
opening applica-tions including photocatalysis, photothermal therapy, and
enhanced spectroscopies, to name a few. However, current plasmonic metals,
in particular Ag and Au, are rare, expensive, and have a limited resonant
frequency range. Here, we discuss recent advances in the synthesis and
characterization of nanoparticles of Earth-abundant metals that sustain LSPRs,
specifically Al, transition metal decorated Al, and Mg. Structural characterization
by SEM, HRTEM, HRSTEM, and compositional mapping by EDS and EELS reveal
that these highly reactive metals are pacified by a thin layer (~5 nm) of oxide that
is stable over several months. Optical spectroscopy and low-loss plasmon
mapping with monochromated STEM-EELS reveals multiple LSPRs with sizedependent
frequencies spanning UV to IR, which are further supported by
numerical simulations. Colloidally synthesized Al and Mg thus offers a route to
inexpensive NPs with novel shapes and resonances spanning the UV-vis-IR
spectrum, making them a flexible addition to the nanoplasmonics toolbox.
Acknowledgment:
This research was supported by a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty award, the American
Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (56256 DNI5) and the Binational
Science Foundation.
Keywords: electron microscopy, EELS, nanoparticles
Presenting authors email: er12@rice.edu