Abstract: A method comprising reacting an aluminum mineral polymorph or a gallium mineral polymorph with an acid at an aluminum metal to acid molar ratio or gallium metal to acid molar ratio sufficient to produce M13 nanoscale clusters, M nano-agglomerates, or a M13 slurry, wherein M is Al or Ga.

Abstract: A method comprising reacting an aluminum mineral polymorph or a gallium mineral polymorph with an acid at an aluminum metal to acid molar ratio or gallium metal to acid molar ratio sufficient to produce M13 nanoscale clusters, M nano-agglomerates, or a M13 slurry, wherein M is Al or Ga.

Abstract: A method comprising reacting an aluminum mineral polymorph or a gallium mineral polymorph with an acid at an aluminum metal to acid molar ratio or gallium metal to acid molar ratio sufficient to produce M13 nanoscale clusters, M nano-agglomerates, or a M13 slurry, wherein M is Al or Ga.

Abstract: A method comprising reacting an aluminum mineral polymorph or a gallium mineral polymorph with an acid at an aluminum metal to acid molar ratio or gallium metal to acid molar ratio sufficient to produce M13 nanoscale clusters, M nano-agglomerates, or a M13 slurry, wherein M is Al or Ga.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of gold nanoparticles and methods of making and using the gold nanoparticles. The disclosed gold nanoparticles have core sizes and polydispersities controlled by the methods of making the gold nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methods of making the gold nanoparticles can concern using flow reactors and reaction conditions controlled to make gold nanoparticles having a desired core size. The gold nanoparticles disclosed herein also comprise various ligands that can be used to facilitate the use of the gold nanoparticles in a variety of applications.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of gold nanoparticles and methods of making and using the gold nanoparticles. The disclosed gold nanoparticles have core sizes and polydispersities controlled by the methods of making the gold nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methods of making the gold nanoparticles can concern using flow reactors and reaction conditions controlled to make gold nanoparticles having a desired core size. The gold nanoparticles disclosed herein also comprise various ligands that can be used to facilitate the use of the gold nanoparticles in a variety of applications.

Abstract: Methods for making metal oxide nanoparticles, including mixed metal oxides and core-shell metal oxide nanoparticles, are disclosed. A solution comprising a metal carboxylate and a carboxylic acid is combined with a solvent comprising an alcohol heated to a temperature ?250° C. for an effective period of time to form metal oxide nanoparticles. The metal may be a group IIIA metal, a group IVA metal, a transition metal, or a combination thereof. A metal oxide shell may be deposited onto metal oxide nanoparticles by dispersing the metal oxide nanoparticles in an alcohol, adding a metal carboxylate, and maintaining the reaction at a temperature ?200° C. for an effective period of time to form core-shell nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may have a relative size dispersity of ?20%, and may further comprise a plurality of carboxylic acid, carboxylate, and/or alcohol ligands coordinated to the nanoparticles' outer surfaces.

Abstract: Embodiments provide electron-conducting, electron-transparent substrates that are chemically derivatized (e.g., functionalized) to enhance and facilitate the deposition of nanoscale materials thereupon, including both hard and soft nanoscale materials. In various embodiments, the substrates may include an electron-conducting mesh support, for example, a carbon, copper, nickel, molybdenum, beryllium, gold, silicon, GaAs, or oxide (e.g., SiO2, TiO2, ITO, or Al2O3) support, or a combination thereof, having one or more apertures. In various embodiments, the mesh support may be coated with an electron conducting, electron transparent carbon film membrane that has been chemically derivatized to promote adhesion and/or affinity for various materials, including hard inorganic materials and soft materials, such as polymers and biological molecules.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of gold nanoparticles and methods of making and using the gold nanoparticles. The disclosed gold nanoparticles have core sizes and polydispersities controlled by the methods of making the gold nanoparticles. In some embodiments, the methods of making the gold nanoparticles can concern using flow reactors and reaction conditions controlled to make gold nanoparticles having a desired core size. The gold nanoparticles disclosed herein also comprise various ligands that can be used to facilitate the use of the gold nanoparticles in a variety of applications.

Abstract: Methods for making metal oxide nanoparticles, including mixed metal oxides and core-shell metal oxide nanoparticles, are disclosed. A solution comprising a metal carboxylate and a carboxylic acid is combined with a solvent comprising an alcohol heated to a temperature ?250° C. for an effective period of time to form metal oxide nanoparticles. The metal may be a group IIIA metal, a group IVA metal, a transition metal, or a combination thereof. A metal oxide shell may be deposited onto metal oxide nanoparticles by dispersing the metal oxide nanoparticles in an alcohol, adding a metal carboxylate, and maintaining the reaction at a temperature ?200° C. for an effective period of time to form core-shell nanoparticles. The nanoparticles may have a relative size dispersity of ?20%, and may further comprise a plurality of carboxylic acid, carboxylate, and/or alcohol ligands coordinated to the nanoparticles' outer surfaces.

Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing nanostructures on a support layer include contacting the support layer with functionalized catalyst particles. The functionalized catalyst particles can form a self-assembled monolayer of catalyst particles on the support layer and the functionalized catalyst particles can be used to catalyze nanostructure growth. In one embodiment of the disclosed method, zinc oxide nanowires are grown on a patterned substrate using functionalized gold nanoparticles. Patterned arrays of self-assembled nanostructures and nanoscale devices using such nanostructure arrays are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments provide electron-conducting, electron-transparent substrates that are chemically derivatized (e.g., functionalized) to enhance and facilitate the deposition of nanoscale materials thereupon, including both hard and soft nanoscale materials. In various embodiments, the substrates may include an electron-conducting mesh support, for example, a carbon, copper, nickel, molybdenum, beryllium, gold, silicon, GaAs, or oxide (e.g., SiO2, TiO2, ITO, or Al2O3) support, or a combination thereof, having one or more apertures. In various embodiments, the mesh support may be coated with an electron conducting, electron transparent carbon film membrane that has been chemically derivatized to promote adhesion and/or affinity for various materials, including hard inorganic materials and soft materials, such as polymers and biological molecules.

Abstract: Silicon grids with electron-transparent SiO2 windows for use as substrates for high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of chemically-modified SiO2 surfaces are fabricated by forming an oxide layer on a silicon substrate. An aperture is defined in the silicon substrate by etching the substrate to the oxide layer. A single substrate can include a plurality of apertures that are in respective frame regions that are defined by one or more channels in the substrate. Structural or chemical functionalizations can be provided, and surface interactions observed via TEM.

Abstract: Embodiments herein provide a nanoparticle, such as a metal nanoparticle, coupled to a linker molecule to form a nanoparticle-linker construct. In an embodiment, a nanoparticle-linker construct may be further bound to a substrate to take advantage of one or more properties of the nanoparticle. In an embodiment, a functionalized nanoparticle (a nanoparticle having a reactive functionality) may be bound to a linker to form a functionalized nanoparticle-linker construct which may in-turn be bound to a substrate.

Abstract: As demonstrated herein, the ligand exchange chemistry of phosphine-stabilized Au11 clusters with ?-functionalized thiols is a powerful synthetic method that provides convenient access to a diverse family of functionalized Au11 clusters. The general nature of the presented ligand exchange approach, in combination with the ease preparation, makes this approach of broad utility. The approach is general and shows the high tolerance for a wide variety of functional groups. Mechanistic studies provided conclusive evidence that the Au11 core of the precursor particle remains intact during ligand exchange and showed that the ligand exchange of these particles follows a different pathway than for ligand exchanges of larger gold nanoparticles such as “Au101(PPh3)21Cl5”. Optical studies of the products show a strong dependence on the nature of the stabilizing thiol ligands.

Abstract: Silicon grids with electron-transparent SiO2 windows for use as substrates for high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of chemically-modified SiO2 surfaces are fabricated by forming an oxide layer on a silicon substrate. An aperture is defined in the silicon substrate by etching the substrate to the oxide layer. A single substrate can include a plurality of apertures that are in respective frame regions that are defined by one or more channels in the substrate. Structural or chemical functionalizations can be provided, and surface interactions observed via TEM.

Abstract: As demonstrated herein, the ligand exchange chemistry of phosphine-stabilized Au11 clusters with ?-functionalized thiols is a powerful synthetic method that provides convenient access to a diverse family of functionalized Au11 clusters. The general nature of the presented ligand exchange approach, in combination with the ease preparation, makes this approach of broad utility. The approach is general and shows the high tolerance for a wide variety of functional groups. Mechanistic studies provided conclusive evidence that the Au11 core of the precursor particle remains intact during ligand exchange and showed that the ligand exchange of these particles follows a different pathway than for ligand exchanges of larger gold nanoparticles such as “Au101(PPh3)21Cl5”. Optical studies of the products show a strong dependence on the nature of the stabilizing thiol ligands.

Abstract: A method for forming arrays of metal, alloy, semiconductor or magnetic nanoparticles is described. An embodiment of the method comprises placing a scaffold on a substrate, the scaffold comprising, for example, polynucleotides and/or polypeptides, and coupling the nanoparticles to the scaffold. Methods of producing arrays in predetermined patterns and electronic devices that incorporate such patterned arrays are also described.

Abstract: Methods for selectively depositing nanostructures on a support layer include contacting the support layer with functionalized catalyst particles. The functionalized catalyst particles can form a self-assembled monolayer of catalyst particles on the support layer and the functionalized catalyst particles can be used to catalyze nanostructure growth. In one embodiment of the disclosed method, zinc oxide nanowires are grown on a patterned substrate using functionalized gold nanoparticles. Patterned arrays of self-assembled nanostructures and nanoscale devices using such nanostructure arrays are also described.

Abstract: A method for forming arrays of metal, alloy, semiconductor or magnetic clusters is described. The method comprises placing a scaffold on a substrate, the scaffold comprising molecules selected from the group consisting of polynucleotides, polypeptides, and perhaps combinations thereof. Polypeptides capable of forming ? helices are currently preferred for forming scaffolds. Arrays are then formed by contacting the scaffold with plural, monodispersed ligand-stabilized clusters. Each cluster, prior to contacting the scaffold, includes plural exchangeable ligands bonded thereto. If the clusters are metal clusters, then the metal preferably is selected from the group consisting of Ag, Au, Pt, Pd and mixtures thereof. A currently preferred metal is gold, and a currently preferred metal cluster is Au55 having a radius of from about 0.7 to about 1 nm. Compositions also are described, one use for which is in the formation of cluster arrays.