Gold based nanorods: tuning the structure for catalysis and sensing

This thesis is titled Gold based nanorods: tuning the structure for catalysis and sensing and describes the use of gold nanorods as model systems in addressing fundamental questions regarding the thermal stability, alloying, catalytic behaviour and self-assembly of mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles. Gold nanorods are particularly suitable for such model studies as the size and shape of the nanorods can be tuned precisely and due to their single crystalline atomic structure with well-defined surface facets. The work in this thesis shows that we can understand and design the properties of nanoparticles by playing with their structure in new ways. By first developing methods to control and characterize the atomic structure of the individual mono- and bimetallic rods, e.g. from core-shell to fully alloyed, and their assemblies, we obtained well-defined model systems for catalysis and plasmonics. Although the work described in this thesis comprises fundamental research, it also contains important clues for applications, such as in the design of better catalysts via bimetallics or the assembly of nanoparticles into larger clusters for sensing.