Solid-state synthesis of UV-plasmonic CrN nanoparticles.

Materials that exhibit plasmonic response in the UV region can be advantageous for many applications, such as biological photodegradation, photocatalysis, disinfection, and bioimaging. Transition metal nitrides have recently emerged as chemically and thermally stable alternatives to metal-based plasmonic materials. However, most free-standing nitride nanostructures explored so far have plasmonic responses in the visible and near-IR regions.

Photothermal Transduction Efficiencies of Plasmonic Group 4 Metal Nitride Nanocrystals.

The photothermal transduction efficiencies of group 4 metal nitrides, TiN, ZrN, and HfN, at λ = 850 nm are reported, and the performance of these materials is compared to an Au nanorod benchmark. Transition metal nitride nanocrystals with an average diameter of ∼15 nm were prepared using a solid-state metathesis reaction. HfN exhibited the highest photothermal transduction efficiency of 65%, followed by ZrN (58%) and TiN (49%), which were all higher than those of the commercially purchased Au nanorods (43%).

Overview of Synthetic Methods to Prepare Plasmonic Transition-Metal Nitride Nanoparticles.

The search for new plasmonic materials that are low-cost, chemically and thermally stable, and exhibit low optical losses has garnered significant attention among researchers. Recently, metal nitrides have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional, noble-metal-based plasmonic materials, such as silver and gold. Many of the initial studies on metal nitrides have focused on computational prediction of the plasmonic properties of these materials.

Synthesis of Plasmonic Group-4 Nitride Nanocrystals by Solid-State Metathesis.

Ceramic nanoparticles that exhibit a plasmonic response are promising next-generation photonic materials. In this contribution, a solid-state metathesis method has been reported for the synthesis of Group 4 nitride (TiN, ZrN, and HfN) nanocrystals. A high-temperature (1000 °C) reaction between Group 4 metal oxide (TiO , ZrO , and HfO ) nanoparticles and magnesium nitride powder yielded nitride nanocrystals that were dispersible in water.

Electrochemical surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (EC-SERS) study of the interaction between protein aggregates and biomimetic membranes.

Human diseases characterized by the uncontrolled deposition of insoluble extracellular protein aggregates are collectively referred to as amyloidoses. Such diseases include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's, and prion disease. In Alzheimer's disease, it is believed that amyloid-β proteins may be responsible for pore and defect formation within cellular membranes, leading to a breakdown of cellular homeostasis causing eventual neuronal death.