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Magnetic nanomaterials in both thin films and in the form of nanoparticles, with various structures and morphologies, are among the most extensively studied categories of materials [...].Magnetic nanomaterials in both thin films and in the form of nanoparticles, with various structures and morphologies, are among the most extensively studied categories of materials [...].

Structural and morphological control of crystalline nanoparticles is crucial in the field of heterogeneous catalysis and the development of “reaction specific” catalysts. To achieve this, colloidal chemistry methods are combined with ab initio calculations in order to define the reaction parameters, which drive chemical reactions to the desired crystal nucleation and growth path. Key in this procedure is the experimental verification of the predicted crystal facets and their corresponding electronic structure, which in case of nanostructured materials becomes extremely difficult. Here, by employing 31 P solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance aided by advanced density functional theory calculations to obtain and assign the Knight shifts, we succeed in determining the crystal and electronic structure of the terminating surfaces of ultrafine Ni 2 P nanoparticles at atomic scale resolution. Our work highlights the potential of ssNMR nanocrystallography as a unique tool in the emerging field of facet-engineered nanocatalysts. Structural and morphological control of crystalline nanoparticles is crucial in heterogeneous catalysis. Applying DFT-assisted solid-state NMR spectroscopy, we determine the surface crystal and electronic structure of Ni 2 P nanoparticles, unveiling NMR nanocrystallography as an emerging tool in facet-engineered nanocatalysts.

In this work, we demostrate the preparation of low cost High Refractive Index polystyrene-sulfur nanocomposites in one step by combining inverse vulcanization and melt extrusion method. Poly(sulfur-1,3-diisopropenylbenzene) (PS-SD) copolymer nanoparticles (5 to 10 wt%) were generated in the polystyrene matrix via in situ inverse vulcanization reaction during extrusion process. Formation of SD copolymer was confirmed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. SEM and TEM further confirms the presence of homogeneously dispersed SD nanoparticles in the size range of 5 nm. Thermal and mechanical properties of these nanocomposites are comparable with the pristine polystyrene. The transparent nanocomposites exhibits High Refractive Index n = 1.673 at 402.9 nm and Abbe’y number ~ 30 at 10 wt% of sulfur loading. The nanocomposites can be easily processed into mold, films and thin films by melt processing as well as solution casting techniques. Moreover, this one step preparation method is scalable and can be extend to the other polymers.

Two-dimensional (2D) metal borides are a class of ceramic materials with diverse structural and topological properties. These diverse material properties of metal borides are what forms the basis of their interdisciplinarity and their applicability in various research fields. In this study, we highlight which fundamental and practical parameters need to be taken into consideration when designing nanomaterials for specific applications. A simple one-pot chemical reduction method was applied for the synthesis of manganese mono-boride nanoflakes at room temperature. How the specific surface area and boron-content of the as-synthesized manganese mono-boride nanoflakes influence their magnetic and electrocatalytic properties is reported. The sample with the highest specific surface area and boron content demonstrated the best magnetic and electrocatalytic properties in the HER. Whereas the sample with the lowest specific surface area and boron content exhibited the best electric conductivity and electrocatalytic properties in the OER.

Bimetallic colloidal CoPt nanoalloys with low platinum content were successfully synthesized following a modified polyol approach. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were performed to estimate the crystal structure, morphology, and surface functionalization of the colloids, respectively, while the room-temperature magnetic properties were measured using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The particles exhibit excellent uniformity, with a narrow size distribution, and display strong room-temperature hysteretic ferromagnetic behavior even in the as-made form. Upon annealing at elevated temperatures, progressive formation and co-existence of exchange coupled, of both chemically ordered and disordered phases significantly enhanced the room-temperature coercivity.

Fe-based colloids with a core/shell structure consisting of metallic iron and iron oxide were synthesized by a facile hot injection reaction of iron pentacarbonyl in a multi-surfactant mixture. The size of the colloidal particles was affected by the reaction temperature and the results demonstrated that their stability against complete oxidation related to their size. The crystal structure and the morphology were identified by powder X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, while the magnetic properties were studied at room temperature with a vibrating sample magnetometer. The injection temperature plays a very crucial role and higher temperatures enhance the stability and the resistance against oxidation. For the case of injection at 315 °C, the nanoparticles had around a 10 nm mean diameter and revealed 132 emu/g. Remarkably, a stable dispersion was created due to the colloids’ surface functionalization in a nonpolar solvent.

Recent advances in experimental studies of nanoparticle-driven stabilization of chiral liquid-crystalline phases are highlighted. The stabilization is achieved via the nanoparticles’ assembly in the defect lattices of the soft liquid-crystalline hosts. This is of significant importance for understanding the interactions of nanoparticles with topological defects and for envisioned technological applications. We demonstrate that blue phases are stabilized and twist-grain boundary phases are induced by dispersing surface-functionalized CdSSe quantum dots, spherical Au nanoparticles, as well as MoS2 nanoplatelets and reduced-graphene oxide nanosheets in chiral liquid crystals. Phase diagrams are shown based on calorimetric and optical measurements. Our findings related to the role of the nanoparticle core composition, size, shape, and surface coating on the stabilization effect are presented, followed by an overview of and comparison with other related studies in the literature. Moreover, the key points of the underlying mechanisms are summarized and prospects in the field are briefly discussed.

The discovery of two-dimensional electron gas states with giant Rashba spin splitting (RSS) in electron-doped three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) uncovered new fascinating physics and raised hopes for novel spintronic devices. Significant challenges, including synthetic constraints and control of the magnetic properties, must be addressed before any breakthroughs are possible. Here, we show how RSS in Bi-rich Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplatelets is responsible for the appearance of remarkable orbital magnetic properties, as observed using magnetization and conduction electron spin resonance experiments and confirmed by theoretical simulations. In view of the strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and the proximity to the TI surface states, this discovery enlightens fundamental aspects of SOC-based functionalities of TI materials with aims for future applications. Spin engineering: nanohexagons work their magic Plate-like bismuth nanocrystals can give physicists enriched mechanisms to control spin through unexpected, surface-localized magnetism. Topological insulators have crystal structures that make them non-conductive everywhere except for the quantized states on their surfaces. Hae Jin Kim's group at KBSI and co-workers (PI, “Demokritos”, and UoI) has now used a liquid-phase, solvothermal synthesis to turn bismuth selenide (Bi 2 Se 3 ) topological insulators into nanometre-thin platelets with unique hexagonal shapes. The team discovered that sandwiching bismuth atoms between the nanohexagons disrupts the normal coupling interactions between electron spin and orbital motion at topological insulators surface states. This splitting generates so-called Rashba states that produce a special orbital-based type of magnetism, where spin states can be flipped with help from a weak magnetic field. Further spin engineering of this system is possible by altering the degree of bismuth intercalation. Bi-layer intercalation in Bi 2 Se 3 nanoplatelets gives rise to an intriguing crystal structure comprised of randomly stacked Bi 2 Se 3 and Bi 2 Se 2 . Detailed conduction electron spin resonance (CESR) and AC/DC magnetization studies prove that controlling Bi intercalation results in fine tuning the two-dimensional electron gas parabolic Rashba states, which enables the appearance of extraordinary orbital magnetism, through the coupling of the spin and orbital degrees of freedom. The methodology presented herein provides a unique and simple way for efficient spin engineering, with important potential applications.

The discovery of two-dimensional electron gas states with giant Rashba spin splitting (RSS) in electron-doped three-dimensional topological insulators (TIs) uncovered new fascinating physics and raised hopes for novel spintronic devices. Significant challenges, including synthetic constraints and control of the magnetic properties, must be addressed before any breakthroughs are possible. Here, we show how RSS in Bi-rich Bi sub(2)Se sub(3) nanoplatelets is responsible for the appearance of remarkable orbital magnetic properties, as observed using magnetization and conduction electron spin resonance experiments and confirmed by theoretical simulations. In view of the strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and the proximity to the TI surface states, this discovery enlightens fundamental aspects of SOC-based functionalities of TI materials with aims for future applications.