TAILORING PROPERTIES AND FUNCTIONALITIES OF NANOSTRUCTURES THROUGH COMPOSITIONS, COMPONENTS AND MORPHOLOGIES

Abstract

The field of nanoscience and nanotechnology has made significant progresses over the last thirty years. Sophisticated nanostructures with tunable properties for novel physics and applications have been successfully fabricated, characterized and underwent practical test. In this thesis, I will focus on our recent efforts to develop new strategies to manipulate the properties of nanostructures. Particularly, three questions have been answered from our perspective, based on the nanomaterials synthesized: (1) How does the composition affect a novel nanostructure? We started from single-molecule precursors to reach nanostructures whose bulk counterparts only exist under extreme conditions. Fe₃S and Fe₃S₂ are used as examples to demonstrate this synthetic strategy. Their potential magnetic properties have been measured, which may lead to interesting findings in astronomy and materials science. (2) How to achieve modularity control at nanoscale by a general bottom-up approach? Starting with reviewing the current status of this field, our recent experimental progresses towards delicate modularity control are presented by abundant novel heteronanostructures. An interesting catalytic mechanism of these nanostructures has also been verified, which involves the interaction between phonons, photons, plasmons, and excitons. (3) What can the morphology difference tell us about the inside of nanostructures? By comparing a series of data from three types of CdSe/CdS core-shell structures, a conclusion has been reached on the CdS growth mechanism on CdSe under different conditions, which also may lead to a solution to the asymmetry problem in the synthesis of CdSe/CdS nanorods. Finally this thesis is concluded by a summary and future outlook.