Time- and Size-Resolved Plasmonic Evolution with nm Resolution of Galvanic Replacement Reaction in AuAg Nanoshells Synthesis

Abstract

The rational design of advanced nanomaterials with enhanced optical properties can be reached only with the profound thermodynamic and kinetic understanding of their synthetic processes. In this work, the synthesis of monodisperse AuAg nanoshells with thin shells and large voids is achieved through the development of a highly reproducible and robust methodology based on the galvanic replacement reaction. This is obtained thanks to the systematic identification of the role played by the different synthetic parameters involved in the process (such as surfactants, co-oxidizers, complexing agents, time, and temperature), providing an unprecedented control over the material’s morphological and optical properties. Thus, the time- and size-resolved evolution of AuAg nanoshells surface plasmon resonance band is described for 15, 30, 60, 80, 100, and 150 nm-sized particles spanning almost through the entire visible spectrum. Its analysis reveals a four-phase mechanism coherent with the material’s morphological tra...