Multicomponent nanoparticles (MCNs) have multiple nanoscale domains of distinct materials within one particle. The conjugation or close placement of different components at nanoscale results in strong synergistic coupling effect that can significantly alter the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of the constituent materials. MCNs have shown emerging applications in such as solar energy harvesting, batteries, catalysis, optical and electronic devices, and biomedical imaging and delivering. In particular, the catalytical properties of MCNs are strongly dependent on not only the size, shape and composition of individual components, but also the relative spatial arrangement of these constituent domains. Moreover, recent research has shown that MCNs with asymmetric spatial distribution of constituent domains may outperform their symmetric counterparts in some applications. Over the decade, great progress has been achieved in the synthesis of asymmetric MCNs with controlled morphology and component arrangement. Despite their initial success, most existing approaches have intrinsic limitations, such as being restricted to specific types of materials, being sensitive to small variations in synthetic conditions, and poor reproducibility in scale-up. It is therefore of paramount importance to develop effective, robust synthetic strategies for the production of asymmetric MCNs with high catalytical activity. In this talk, I will present our recent efforts on developing polymer-protected synthesis of non-conventional MCNs, as well as investigating the correlation between catalytical properties and asymmetric structures of MCNs.

Polymer-guided synthesis of asymmetric multicomponent nanoparticles with enhanced catalytical activity

2019 Fall National Meeting

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