Nanocrystals are fundamental to modern science and technology. Mastery over the shape of a nanocrystal enables control of its properties and enhancement of its usefulness for a given application. Our aim is to present a comprehensive review of current research activities that center on the shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanocrystals. We begin with a brief introduction to nucleation and growth within the context of metal nanocrystal synthesis, followed by a discussion of the possible shapes that a metal nanocrystal might take under different conditions. We then focus on a variety of experimental parameters that have been explored to manipulate the nucleation and growth of metal nanocrystals in solution-phase syntheses in an effort to generate specific shapes. We then elaborate on these approaches by selecting examples in which there is already reasonable understanding for the observed shape control or at least the protocols have proven to be reproducible and controllable. Finally, we highlight a number of applications that have been enabled and/or enhanced by the shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanocrystals. We conclude this article with personal perspectives on the directions toward which future research in this field might take.

Shape‐Controlled Synthesis of Metal Nanocrystals: Simple Chemistry Meets Complex Physics?

ZnS nanostructures: From synthesis to applications

Semiconducting quantum dots, whose particle sizes are in the nanometer range, have very unusual properties. The quantum dots have band gaps that depend in a complicated fashion upon a number of factors, described in the article. Processing-structure-properties-performance relationships are reviewed for compound semiconducting quantum dots. Various methods for synthesizing these quantum dots are discussed, as well as their resulting properties. Quantum states and confinement of their excitons may shift their optical absorption and emission energies. Such effects are important for tuning their luminescence stimulated by photons (photoluminescence) or electric field (electroluminescence). In this article, decoupling of quantum effects on excitation and emission are described, along with the use of quantum dots as sensitizers in phosphors. In addition, we reviewed the multimodal applications of quantum dots, including in electroluminescence device, solar cell and biological imaging.

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/3/4/2260/pdf

Quantum Dots and Their Multimodal Applications: A Review

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been the most intensively investigated binary transition metal oxide in the past four decades as indicated by Figure S1. Furthermore, the annual number of papers published on TiO2 has seen a continuous increase, particularly since the beginning of this century (Figure S2). This is understandable when one considers the wide range of applications of TiO2 from the conventional areas (i.e., pigment, cosmetic, toothpaste, and paint) to the later developed functional areas such as photoelectrochemical cell,(1-3) dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs),(4-11) photocatalysis,(12-24) catalysis,(25-31) photovoltaic cell,(32-34) lithium ion batteries,(35-41) sensors,(42-46) electron field emission,(47-51) microwave absorbing material, biomimetic growth, and biomedical treatments.(52-57) Nearly all these functional applications of TiO2 fall in the scope of energy, environment, and health, which are definitely the three most important and challenging themes facing the Human race that need to be addressed in this century. Besides the apparent merits including nontoxicity, elemental abundance, good chemical stability, and easy synthesis, TiO2 has attracted strong research interest worldwide due to its physicochemical properties for realizing various functions.(15, 58, 59) Especially, very encouraging progresses in photocatalysis and DSSCs with the involvement of TiO2 have greatly stimulated the rapid development of TiO2 crystals with controllable phase, size, shape, defect, and heteroatom.(58, 60-68)

Titanium dioxide crystals with tailored facets

The recent developments and trends in combustion science towards the synthesis of nanomaterials are discussed. Different modifications made to conventional combustion approaches for preparation of nanomaterials are critically analyzed. Special attention is paid to various applications of combustion synthesized nanosized products.

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Combustion synthesis and nanomaterials

Well-defined single-crystalline PbS nano- and microstructures including dendrites, multipods, truncated nanocubes, and nanocubes were synthesized in high yield by a simple solution route. Novel star-shaped PbS dendrites with six symmetric arms along the 〈100〉 direction, each of which shows one trunk (long axis) and four branches (short axes), have been achieved using Pb(AC)2 and thioacetamide (TAA) as precursors, under the molar ratio Pb(AC)2/TAA = 2/1, at initial reaction temperature 80 °C, refluxing for 30 min at 100 °C, in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromine (CTAB). The “nanorods” in each branch are parallel to each other in the same plane and are perpendicular to the trunk. The truncated nanocubes mainly bounded by the {100} plane were prepared under a different Pb(AC)2/TAA molar ratio, at initial reaction temperature 40 °C, refluxing for 12 h at 100 °C. Based on the systematic studies on their shape evolution, a possible growth mechanism of these PbS nano- and microstructures was proposed....

Controlled synthesis of high-quality PbS star-shaped dendrites, multipods, truncated nanocubes, and nanocubes and their shape evolution process.

Combustion synthesis of long-persistent luminescent MAl2O4: Eu2+, R3+ (M = Sr, Ba, Ca, R = Dy, Nd and La) nanoparticles and luminescence mechanism research

Synthesis, structure and properties of a new nonlinear optical material: zinc cadmium tetrathiocyanate

Photoluminescence properties of ZnS nanoparticles co-doped with Pb2+ and Cu2+

ZnS nanoparticles doped with Ni2+ have been obtained by chemical co-precipitation from homogeneous solutions of zinc and nickel salt compounds, with S2- as precipitating anion, formed by decomposition of thioacetamide (TAA). The average size of particles doped with different mole ratios, estimated from the Debye–Scherrer formula, is about 2–2.5 nm. The nanoparticles could be doped with nickel during synthesis without altering the X-ray diffraction pattern. A Hitachi M-850 fluorescence spectrophotometer reveals the emission spectra of samples. The absorption spectra show that the excitation spectra of Ni-doped ZnS nanocrystallites are almost the same as those of pure ZnS nanocrystallites (λex=308–310 nm). Because a Ni2+ luminescent center is formed in ZnS nanocrystallites, the photoluminescence intensity increases with the amount of ZnS nanoparticles doped with Ni2+. Stronger and stable green-light emission (520 nm) (its intensity is about two times that of pure ZnS nanoparticles) has been observed from ZnS nanoparticles doped with Ni2+.

Mengkai Lü

Papers

Controlled synthesis of high-quality PbS star-shaped dendrites, multipods, truncated nanocubes, and nanocubes and their shape evolution process.

Combustion synthesis of long-persistent luminescent MAl2O4: Eu2+, R3+ (M = Sr, Ba, Ca, R = Dy, Nd and La) nanoparticles and luminescence mechanism research

Synthesis, structure and properties of a new nonlinear optical material: zinc cadmium tetrathiocyanate

Photoluminescence properties of ZnS nanoparticles co-doped with Pb2+ and Cu2+

Strong green luminescence of Ni2+-doped ZnS nanocrystals