Subject：Atomically Precise Metal Nanoparticles: Fundamentals and Opportunities
Speaker：Prof. Rongchao Jin
Emcee：Prof. Sanjun Zhang
Time：10:00am, 10th July, 2018
Place：Science Building A814
Abstract：
Recent advances in nanoscience research have marched toward controlling nanoparticles with atomic precision. This talk will present some breakthroughs in gold nanoparticle research, including the atomically precise synthesis, total structure determination by X-ray crystallography, and applications in catalysis and sensing. Such perfect gold nanoparticles resemble organic molecules in that they possess definite formulas, Aun(SR)m (where SR = thiolate ligand, n and m refer to the precise numbers of gold atoms and surface ligands, respectively). By controlling nanoparticles with atomic precision, one can now reveal the long-sought-after total structures (i.e. metal core plus surface ligands), as opposed to metal core only in electron microscopy analysis. Significant progress has recently been achieved in determining the total structures, ranging from subnanometer Au18(SR)14 to 2.2 nm Au246(SR)80, as well as their alloy counterparts. These ultrasmall nanoparticles exhibit interesting electronic and optical properties with manifestations of strong quantum size effects. Many other mysteries at the nanoscale, such as structural isomerization, chirality, periodicities in nanoparticles, nanoscale self-assembly monolayer (SAM) structure, have now been revealed. Such perfect nanoparticles hold potential in chemical catalysis, energy conversion, optics, and sensing applications.
About the Speaker:
Rongchao Jin received his B.S. in Chemical Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) in 1995, and M.S. in Physical Chemistry/Catalysis from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1998, and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2003. In his PhD work, he worked with Prof Chad A. Mirkin on noble metal nanocrystal synthesis, optical properties, and biological applications. After his Ph.D., he worked at the University of Chicago as Research Associate with Prof Norbert F. Scherer and studied femtosecond laser excited second harmonic generation (SHG) from single metal nanoparticles. In the fall of 2006, he joined the chemistry faculty of Carnegie Mellon University and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2012 and Full Professor in 2015. His current research interests are atomically precise nanoparticles, nano-optics, and catalysis.
