I will report the recent progress in the rational design, synthesis, and applications of bimetallic nanocrystals with integrated SERS and catalytic activities. The ultimate goal is to develop bifunctional nanocrystals as a SERS probe for monitoring a catalytic reaction in situ. I will first introduce seeded growth as a facile and powerful route to the syntheses of bifunctional nanocrystals with catalytic activities arising from Au or Pd, in addition to plasmonic properties originating from Ag or Au. Specifically, I will discuss two distinctive pathways, namely conformal and site-selected deposition of a second metal on the surface of a noble-metal nanocrystal seed, for the fabrication of bifunctional nanocrystals with controlled composition and morphology. I will then discuss the application of these bifunctional nanocrystals as unique probes for in situ SERS monitoring of the Au or Pd-catalyzed reduction of 4-nitrothiophenol to 4-aminothiophenol by NaBH4 and the Ag-catalyzed oxidation of 4-aminothiophenol to trans-4,4’-dimercaptoazobenzene by the O2 from air. We conclude this review with perspectives on the future development.

Rational design and synthesis of bifunctional metal nanocrystals for probing catalytic reactions by surface-enhanced raman scattering

2019 Spring National Meeting

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