Electron Beam Synthesis of Metal and Semiconductor Nanoparticles Using Metal-Organic Frameworks as Ordered Precursors

Published

August 18, 2011

Author(s)

Benjamin Jacobs, Houk Ronald, Bryan Wong, Albert A. Talin, Mark Allendorf

Abstract

We demonstrate a versatile, bottom-up method of forming metal and semiconducting nanoparticles by exposing precursor metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to an electron beam. Using a transmission electron microscope to initiate and observe growth, we show that the composition, size, and morphology of the nanoparticles are determined by the chemistry and structure of the MOF, as well as the electron beam properties. Indium, copper, and zinc oxide particles were produced with narrow and tunable size distributions comparable to those obtained from state-of-the-art methods. This method represents a first step toward fabrication of nanoscale heterostructures using the highly controlled environment of the MOF pores as a scaffold or template.

Citation

Nanotechnology

Volume

22

Issue

37

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Metal organic framework, MOF, transmission electron microscope, nanoparticle, nanocrystal, ZnO, Cu

Citation

Jacobs, B. , Ronald, H. , Wong, B. , Talin, A. and Allendorf, M. (2011), Electron Beam Synthesis of Metal and Semiconductor Nanoparticles Using Metal-Organic Frameworks as Ordered Precursors, Nanotechnology, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=907425 (Accessed October 12, 2024)