Fall 2008: MATRL 265: Nanophase and nanoparticulate materials Course outline: PDF EII 1335, M & W, 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm Resources: Schedule: Date Description Notes Resources M 9/29 No class (to be made up) W 10/01 No class (to be made up) M 10/6 Introduction. What is nano and why ? PDF JSTOR, Nobel PDF, DOI W 10/8 Colloids PDF + handout DOI, DOI M 10/13 Ultrathin films PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI W 10/15 Nanophase materials PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI W 10/15 Gold nanoparticles PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI M 10/20 Gas-phase clusters PDF DOI, DOI, DOI M 10/20 Quantum Dots PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI W 10/22 Magnetic nanoparticles PDF DOI, DOI, DOI W 10/29 Quantum confinement in crystalline solids PDF DOI, DOI, DOI M 11/3 Superlattices PDF W 11/5 Carbon Nanotubes PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI M 11/10 Inorganic Nanotubes PDF DOI, DOI W 11/13 Inorganic Nanowires PDF DOI, DOI M 11/17 Porous Si PDF, PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, W 11/19 Lithography PDF DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI, DOI M 11/24 Student talks W 11/26 Student talks M 12/01 Block copolymers PDF DOI, DOI, DOI M 12/08 Term paper submission (strict)

Student presentations:

1. Nathan Pfaff: Synthesis and Luminescent Properties of Core/Shell Quantum Dots (10/29/08)
2. Yichi Zhang: Nanosized Gold Catalysis in Low-Temperature CO Oxidation (11/02/08)
3. Kristen Murphy: Magnetotactic bacteria (11/05/08)
4. Christopher Olson: Graphene (11/10/08)
5. James LeBeau: Plamonics (11/12/08)
6. Ryan Davis: Biological applications of nanowires (11/17/08)
7. Taylor Sparks: Thermoelectric superlattices (11/19/08)
8. Nell Gamble: FePt nanoparticles (11/24/08)
9. Joshua Kurzman: Magnetic photonics (11/24/08)
10. James Rogers: Mulple excitons (11/26/08)
11. Brent Melot: Transport studies (11/26/08)
12. Dan Lowrey: Mechanical properties (12/01/08)

Questions to consider

1. For fcc Au (4 atoms in a unit cell of edge 4.07 Å), make a plot of how the surface area of 1 g of Au changes with the average radius of the Au particles in the sample (assume spherical particles). Estimate the fraction of atoms on the surface of such particles, as a function of their radius.
2. Describe at least two experimental technique that can be used to characterize a monolayer film (L, L-B, or SAM). Examples of techniques: He atom diffraction, LEED, Raman, X-ray scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, ellipsometry, contact angle measurements ...
3. Assuming 20 Ų per surfactant molecule, what is the ratio of the mass of C12 thiol (of formula C₁₂H₂₅S) to the mass of gold for gold nanoparticles of diameters: 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 nm.
4. Explain why potentials of the form A/rⁿ must have n greater than 3 if they are to describe real materials in 3D. What are the limits on n in 1D or in 2D space. What happens with regard to Coulombic potentials ?
5. Imagine you are Franklin, or Faraday, and write (or rewrite) the first paragraph of a paper (any paper) in their style.
6. Describe the assembly of a nanophase material using (a) gas-phase clusters, and (b) any other technique. Explain how the material could be densified while keeping grain size small (why is monodispersity important?).
7. What does it mean to say that nanophase materials are "all grain boundary and no grain"?
8. What is superplasticity, and how is this useful in forming ceramics ?
9. Is it a size effect or is it a change in composition because of a distinct method of composition ? Try to find examples from the literature.
10. Why is the ferroelectric phase transition in thin films and small particulate BaTiO₃ suppressed ?
11. Explain when size effects can suppress the transition to a superconducting state.
12. What is the figure of merit in a thermoelectric. How does nanostructuring help ?
13. Describe at least one technique for preparing and studying metal clusters in the gas phase.
14. Use the Kubo relation for the energy gap δ to plot for Na and Mg, the dependence of δ on cluster size.
15. Explain the Franck-Condon idea in electronic excitation. What are the possible fates of an excited electron.
16. Why is there frequently no Stokes shift in the luminescence of a nanoparticle ?
17. How can plasmons on gold nanoparticles be used for diagnostic purposes ?
18. What is the nature of plasmons in gold nanoparticles when the nanoparticles are anisotropic (for example, gold nanorods).
19. What is the characteristic size below which excitons in semicoductos will be quantum confined ?
20. What is a good/simple way to estimate that size dependence of the band gap in quantum dots ?
21. Explain the principle of building the different Ruddlesden-Popper alkylammonium lead halides:
    [RNH₃/R′NH₃]_n[PbI₄]_m with appropriate illustrations. How are these materials inrinsic multiple quantum well architectures. What is the dimensionality of the quantum confinement ?
22. How would the quantum confinement is systems like the above be recognized ?
23. Suggest a few uses of carbon nanotubes.
24. What are positive and negative disclinations with respect to graphene sheets, and how are these used in the construction of closed carbon structures.
25. Provide examples of layered inorganic structures that like to wrap up into tubes.

Presentation topics (these are only suggestions)

1. Responsive photonic crystals
2. Methods for characterizing 2D order (in SAMs, LB films ...) [pick 2 or 3]
3. The strength of nanophase materials
4. Nucleation and growth of nanocrystals
5. Digestive ripening
6. Plasmonics with nanoparticles
7. Core/shell quantum dots: Preparation and properties
8. Single-carbon nanotube electronics
9. Graphene
10. Dimensionality contron in semiconducting organic-inorganic layered hybrids
11. Nanocrystal superlattices: Some applications

For material from previous quarters, please look at:
Winter 2003: Materials/218/Chemistry 227
Spring 2003: Materials 286C
Fall 2003: Materials 225
Fall 2003: 100A
Winter 2004: Chemistry 173B
Winter 2004: Materials 218/Chemistry 227
Fall 2004: Materials100A
Winter 2005: Materials218/Chemistry 227
Spring 2005: Materials265
Fall 2005: Materials286G
Winter 2006: Materials218/Chemistry
Spring 2006: Materials209BL
Winter 2007: Materials218/Chemistry 227
Spring 2007: Materials 265
Fall 2007: Materials 100A
Special stuff for 200B, 2008: Class on Soft Matter & Non-crystalline materials
Winter 2008: Materials 218/Chem 277
Spring 2008: Materials 286G