Investigation of the ligand shells of homo-ligand and mixed-ligand monolayer protected metal nanoparticles : a scanning tunneling microscopy study

Monolayer Protected Metal Nanoparticles have recently found widespread use in and are the focus of intensive study in many areas of scientific research ranging from biology to physics to medicine. Consisting of a nanoscale, crystalline, metallic core surrounded by a self-assembled monolayer of ligands (a 3-D SAM or ligand shell), their appeal and utility stem from their numerous unique properties-many of which arise and are modulated by the intimate spatial and electronic contact between core and shell. The ligand shell controls the particle's interactions with its environment (e.g. sensing, assembly, and electron transfer ability). Furthermore, the ability to manipulate and assemble such nanomaterials through the ligand shell is paramount to their incorporation into and the development of new nanoparticle based materials and devices. However, little is known of the exact composition and packing arrangements of molecules within the ligand shell, and even less so on how to control the resulting nanostructuring. In this thesis we present a Scanning Tunneling Microscopy investigation of the ligand shells of homo- and mixed-ligand metal nanoparticles.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2007

Author dc:creator

• Jackson, Alicia M

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Francesco Stellacci.

• Materials Science and Engineering.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/39548
• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier URI

http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/39548

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/39548