Diffusion of Gold Nanoparticles in Inverse Opals Probed by Heterodyne Dynamic Light Scattering

The diffusive behavior of nanoparticles inside porous materials is attracting a lot of interest in the context of understanding, modeling, and optimization of many technical processes. A very powerful technique for characterizing the diffusive behavior of particles in free media is dynamic light scattering (DLS). The applicability of the method in porous media is considered, however, to be rather difficult due to the presence of multiple sources of scattering. In contrast to most of the previous approaches, the DLS method was applied without ensuring matching refractive indices of solvent and porous matrix in the present study. To test the capabilities of the method, the diffusion of spherical gold nanoparticles within the interconnected, periodic nanopores of inverse opals was analyzed. Despite the complexity of this system, which involves many interfaces and different refractive indices, a clear signal related to the motion of particles inside the porous media was obtained. As expected, the diffusive process inside the porous sample slowed down compared to the particle diffusion in free media. The obtained effective diffusion coefficients were found to be wave vector-dependent. They increased linearly with increasing spatial extension of the probed particle concentration fluctuations. On average, the slowing-down factor measured in this work agrees within combined uncertainties with literature data.

     

Simultaneous Identification of Spectral Properties and Sizes of Multiple Particles in Solution with Subnanometer Resolution

We report an unsurpassed solution characterization technique based on analytical ultracentrifugation, which demonstrates exceptional potential for resolving particle sizes in solution with sub‐nm resolution. We achieve this improvement in resolution by simultaneously measuring UV/Vis spectra while hydrodynamically separating individual components in the mixture. By equipping an analytical ultracentrifuge with a novel multi‐wavelength detector, we are adding a new spectral discovery dimension to traditional hydrodynamic characterization, and amplify the information obtained by orders of magnitude. We demonstrate the power of this technique by characterizing unpurified CdTe nanoparticle samples, avoiding tedious and often impossible purification and fractionation of nanoparticles into apparently monodisperse fractions. With this approach, we have for the first time identified the pure spectral properties and band‐gap positions of discrete species present in the CdTe mixture.     

Spectra Library: An Assumption‐Free In Situ Method to Access the Kinetics of Catechols Binding to Colloidal ZnO Quantum Dots

Assumption‐free and in situ resolving of the kinetics of ligand binding to colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) with high time resolution is still a challenge in NP research. A unique concept of using spectra library and stopped‐flow together with a “search best‐match” Matlab algorithm to access the kinetics of ligand binding in colloidal systems is reported. Instead of deconvoluting superimposed spectra using assumptions, species absorbance contributions (ligand@ZnO NPs and ligand in solution) are obtained by offline experiments. Therefrom, a library of well‐defined targets with known ligand distribution between particle surface and solution is created. Finally, the evolution of bound ligand is derived by comparing in situ spectra recorded by stopped‐flow and the library spectra with the algorithm. Our concept is a widely applicable strategy for kinetic studies of ligand adsorption to colloidal NPs and a big step towards deep understanding of surface functionalization kinetics.     

Unraveling Complexity: A Strategy for the Characterization of Anisotropic Core Multishell Nanoparticles

In this work, a widely applicable routine to characterize the core, surface, stability, and optical properties of CdSe/CdS/ZnS core–shell–shell nanorods after multiple growth steps is established. First, size, shape, and shell thickness of the nanorods are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), and small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS). In the next step, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and SANS measurements are applied to determine the surface species of nanorods. Then, the colloidal stability of the nanorods is investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) after different washing cycles. Finally, photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of the nanorods during washing and sample storage is determined. With this highly complementary routine for particle characterization, the core, surface, stability, and optical properties of nanorods after multiple growth steps are resolved. The results demonstrate the importance of the developed toolbox to characterize such highly complex, anisotropic nanorods for a technical environment. This is of major importance for the handling of colloidal quantum materials and their quality control in industrial applications.     

Determination of Hansen Parameters of Nanoparticles: A Comparison of Two Methods Using Titania,Carbon Black,and Silicon/Carbon Composite Materials

Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs), for particles understood as Hansen similarity parameters, can provide valuable information about the surface behavior of nanoparticles. In the past years, several methodologies are developed for scoring and ranking of probe liquids for HSP determination. Two methods available to carry out this determination in a structured way are based on integral extinctions (IE) by Süß et al. and particle size determinations by Anwar et al., respectively. In this study, these two methods of HSP determination are applied on titania, carbon black, and silicon/carbon composites. The differences in scoring and subsequent ranking of a probe liquid list are compared between both methods. Comparable HSPs from both methods are reported as a best-practice example and additional considerations that need to be considered to properly derive HSPs from the IE-based method are emphasized.     

A Procedure for Rational Probe Liquids Selection to Determine Hansen Solubility Parameters

Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP), viewed in the context of similarity whenever dispersion is focused, offer valuable insights into the surface characteristics of nanoparticles. However, existing methods for determining HSP via the sedimentation of nanoparticles require multiple probe liquids, resulting in time-consuming, costly experiments with potential health risks. To address this, we developed a two-step strategy that enables a systematic selection of liquids. The key element of the approach is to first identify the rough location of the Hansen sphere in the three-dimensional Hansen space using a well-chosen set of probe liquids of different polarities and chemical structures. Then, depending on the outcome of the first step, a particular choice of liquids is made for the final HSP determination. Taken together, the introduced procedure reduces the amount of required liquids for experiments from currently more than ten to a maximum of seven chosen based on a well-defined, coherent methodology. Validation was performed on carbon black, non-pigmentary nano-scale titania, silicon/carbon composites, and lanthanum cobaltite particles, i. e., relevant materials that are commonly utilized in fuel cells, batteries, cyclohexene oxidation, catalytic combustion, photocatalysis, and heterogeneous Fenton reactions. The study showcases the potential to save time, costs, and efficiently determine HSP values in a comparable manner.