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Free keywords:
HYBRID NANOSTRUCTURES; NANOPARTICLES; GRAPHENE; NANOCOMPOSITES;
NANOFLOWERS; PLATFORMMaterials Science;
Abstract:
A novel single-step, laser-induced and solution-based process is presented for synthesizing complex hybrid metal/carbon nanostructures. The process relies on simply illuminating the interface between a substrate and a liquid solution of the supramolecular complex [Au13Ag12(C2Ph)(20)(PPh2(C6H4)(3)PPh2)(3)][PF6](5) (hereinafter abbreviated as SMC) with an unfocussed He-Cd laser having a wavelength of 325nm and an intensity of I=0.5W/cm(2). The process results in hybrid nanostructures of well-controlled morphology: nanoparticles (NP) and 2D flakes, which may also grow jointly to form 3D morphologically complex multipetal flower-like' structures. At the atomic scale, the obtained metamaterials are complex in composition and structure, i.e., they contain bimetallic Au-Ag nanoclusters of diameter 3-5nm incorporated inside a carbonaceous matrix. This matrix can be amorphous or crystalline, and the details of the compositional outcome can be controlled and steered by the laser deposition parameters. Au-Ag nanoclusters show plasmonic behavior including the enhancement of electromagnetic fields of visible light. This leads to the enhancement of Raman scattering by the Au-Ag nanoparticle ensemble within the carbonaceous matrix. This enables a 3D architecture for stimulating surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS).
