Multipodal Plasmonic Nanomaterials: Growth Mechanism and their Applications

The quest for highly structured multipodal plasmonic nanomaterials have been motivated by hoping the emergence of several interesting physical as well as chemical properties, which are not observed in their simplest spherical counterparts. Last few decades scientists are banking their highest level of efforts to achieve the perfect multipodal plasmonic nanomaterials to utilize their enhanced surface field effects. Continuous research and development is focused to make these nanomaterials least toxic for their potential applications ranging from generous medical utility to highly demanding sensor technology. Our present research activity at the Jackson state University is directed both to explore the real-time monitoring the growth mechanism of highly structured multipodal plasmonic nanomaterials as well as to utilize these unique nanomaterials in several application fields which includes: cancer therapy, chemical & biological sensing, genomics, high throughput NLO materials, imaging technology, renewable energy, etc. For any technological application we need mass production of nanomaterials and hence need to understand the mechanism underpinning these synthetic methods. Since most of the present day synthetic methods for nanomaterials production have been evolved empirically and there is no accepted mechanism to explain how the shape control works, our present research effort is to understand the real-time growth mechanism by using simple and low-cost experimental techniques to achieve ever more exquisite control over the composition, size, shape and surface properties of nanomaterials to set-up the stage for fully exploiting the potential of these remarkable materials. Natural and bio-friendly ingredients make our multipodal plasmonic nanomaterials non-toxic and ease of surface modification for biocompatibility allow us to utilize them both in the environmental sensing as well as in the therapeutic applications. Our extended research efforts to generate smart nanomaterial, which may find demanding future applications in the fields of single molecule spectroscopy, photo-catalysis, magnetic composite materials and renewable energy.