Fueled by a wide range of possibilities to tune their interactions with light, a strong increase of interest could be witnessed in the field of plasmonic nanoparticle research in the recent years. The adjustable size, geometry and spatial arrangement to each other enables to control the optical response of such nanostructures at will. This translates into a plethora of potential applications for medicinal therapy, analytics, catalysis, energy conversion and even for devices with completely artificial optical properties. In order to obtain the building blocks for these materials, strategies to synthesize well-defined particles and their assemblies are required. The present thesis deals with the synthesis and characterization of plasmonic nanoparticles and their assemblies. Rigid-rod linkers based on oligo(phenylene-ethynylenes) could be utilized for the formation of small clusters like nanoparticle dimers. The synthesis of tripodal thioacetates for the preparation of functional SAMs on gold surfaces was performed. Polymer protected gold particles could be synthesized via the Diels-Alder reaction of maleimide@Au particles with a poly(2-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymer bearing a single furan group. Au-PEI and Au-Ag core-shell clusters with tunable optical properties were prepared which could serve as promising building blocks for metamaterials. Block copolymer lithography in combination with a cyclic complexation-reduction approach could be utilized to create ordered plasmonic nanostructures on micrometer surface areas.

Amplification of Chirality presents critical reviews of the present position and future trends in modern chemical research. The book contains short and concise reports on chemistry. Each is written by the world renowned experts. Still valid and useful after 5 or 10 years, more information as well as the electronic version of the whole content available at: springerlink.com.

Thorough and up-to-date, this book presents recent developments in this exciting research field. To begin with, the text covers the fabrication of chiral nanomaterials via various synthesis methods, including electron beam lithography, ion beam etching, chemical synthesis and biological DNA directed assembly. This is followed by the relevant theory and reaction mechanisms, with a discussion of the characterization of chiral nanomaterials according to the optical properties of metal nanoparticles, semiconductor nanocrystals, and nanoclusters. The whole is rounded off by a summary of applications in the field of catalysis, sensors, and biomedicine. With its comprehensive yet concise coverage of the whole spectrum of research, this is invaluable reading for senior researchers and entrants to the field of nanoscience and materials science.

An introduction to the state-of-the-art of the diverse self-assembly systems Self-Assembly: From Surfactants to Nanoparticles provides an effective entry for new researchers into this exciting field while also giving the state of the art assessment of the diverse self-assembling systems for those already engaged in this research. Over the last twenty years, self-assembly has emerged as a distinct science/technology field, going well beyond the classical surfactant and block copolymer molecules, and encompassing much larger and complex molecular, biomolecular and nanoparticle systems. Within its ten chapters, each contributed by pioneers of the respective research topics, the book: Discusses the fundamental physical chemical principles that govern the formation and properties of self-assembled systems Describes important experimental techniques to characterize the properties of self-assembled systems, particularly the nature of molecular organization and structure at the nano, meso or micro scales. Provides the first exhaustive accounting of self-assembly derived from various kinds of biomolecules including peptides, DNA and proteins. Outlines methods of synthesis and functionalization of self-assembled nanoparticles and the further self-assembly of the nanoparticles into one, two or three dimensional materials. Explores numerous potential applications of self-assembled structures including nanomedicine applications of drug delivery, imaging, molecular diagnostics and theranostics, and design of materials to specification such as smart responsive materials and self-healing materials. Highlights the unifying as well as contrasting features of self-assembly, as we move from surfactant molecules to nanoparticles. Written for students and academic and industrial scientists and engineers, by pioneers of the research field, Self-Assembly: From Surfactants to Nanoparticles is a comprehensive resource on diverse self-assembly systems, that is simultaneously introductory as well as the state of the art.

The Advances in Chemical Physics series provides the chemical physics and physical chemistry fields with a forum for critical, authoritative evaluations of advances in every area of the discipline. Filled with cutting-edge research reported in a cohesive manner not found elsewhere in the literature, each volume of the Advances in Chemical Physics series serves as the perfect supplement to any advanced graduate class devoted to the study of chemical physics.