Jiatao Zhang

By Jiatao Zhang, Muwei Ji, Jiajia Liu and Meng Xu

This review focuses on recent research efforts to synthesize metal/semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals, understand and control the photocatalytic applications. First, we summarize the synthesis methods and recent presented metal/seminconductor morphologies, including heterodimer, core/shell, and yolk/shell etc. The metal clusters and nanocrystals deposition on semiconductor micro/nano substrates with well-defined crystal face exposure will be clarified into heterodimer part. The outline of this synthesis part will be the large lattice mismatch directed interface, contact and morphologies evolution. For detailed instructions on each synthesis, the readers are referred to the corresponding literature. Secondly, the recent upcoming photocatalysis applications and research progress of these hybrid nanocrystals will be reviewed, including the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (water splitting), photo-reduction of CO2 and other newly emerging potential photosynthesis applications of metal/semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals. Finally, we summarize and outlook the future of this topic. From this review, we try to facilitate the understanding and further improvement of current and practical metal/semiconductor hybrid nanocrystals and photocatalysis applications.

Part of the book: Advanced Catalytic Materials

By Hongpan Rong, Shuping Zhang, Sajid Muhammad and Jiatao Zhang

Noble metal-based nanocomposites are attractive for a rich variety of electrocatalytic applications as they can exhibit not only a combination of the properties associated with each component but also synergy due to a strong coupling between different constituents. Using noble metal as the base component, a plenty of methods have been recently demonstrated for the synthesis of noble metal-based nanocomposites with novel structures (e.g., alloys, core-shell, skin and 1D/2D structures). In this chapter, an account of recent advances of synthetic approaches to noble metal-based nanocomposites with controlled structures, compositions and sizes are reviewed. The relationship between structures and electrochemical properties of these nanocomposites in fuel cell field is discussed. The potential future directions of research in the field are also addressed.

Part of the book: Novel Nanomaterials

By Meng Xu and Jiatao Zhang

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful technique for trace molecular detection because of its ultrahigh molecular structure sensitivity and unique fingerprinting spectra. The morphology, size and structure of the plasmonic nanoparticles seriously influence the Raman scattering intensity of sample. In this chapter, we focus on the influence of nanoparticle morphology. By tailoring the plasmonic properties of anisotropic Au, Ag nanoparticles and generating electromagnetic “hot spots” of SERS active substrate, the SERS intensity can be seriously influenced. We also focus on providing a general introduction to understand the main parameters of anisotropic noble metal nanoparticles of SERS performance.

Part of the book: Raman Spectroscopy