This thesis focuses on the shape-controlled metal nanoparticles for functional applications, covering the synthesis, characterization and optical properties. Three parts are mainly involved in this work, including, gold worm-like nanoparticles, silver nanoplates, and silver induced selenium nanowires. The first part focuses on a facile synthesis method for shape control of gold nanoparticles by treating an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid with sodium citrate and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), in which those worm-like nanoparticles were investigated by various advanced experimental characterizations combining density function theory (DFT) calculation. These nanoparticles can be used for optical sensing detection of ions in aqueous system. The second part involves the synthesis, growth, and optical properties of silver nanoplates (triangles and circular discs). Such nanoplates could be synthesized by a self-seeding co-reduction method at ambient conditions. In particular, molecular dynamics simulation is used to quantify the interaction energies between surfactant molecules and different facets of silver crystal. Such molecular information, together with measurements using x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet??visible (UV??vis) spectroscopy, has proven to be useful for understanding the growth mechanisms of silver nanoplates. The third part focuses on the template of silver nanoparticles for generating trigonal selenium (t-Se) nanowires. This technique exhibits some advantages in fabricating t-Se nanostructures, including no need to use stabilizers and sonichemical process and all operations being proceeded in aqueous media and at room temperature. Particularly it can successfully achieve the transformation from amorphous α-Se to crystalline t-Se in aqueous solution and this method would be useful for generating one-dimensional nanostructures with similar lattice parameter(s). It is considered that the technique for the shape-controlled metal nanoparticles can at least partially, be extended to other nanomaterials for functional applications.

Ion exchange equilibria are presented for [ ]??? ??? Au(CN)2 / Cl , [ ]??? ??? Au(CN)2 / SCN and SCN??? / Cl??? in aqueous solution, and in various mixed solvents, at 303K using Purolite A500 as the ion-exchanger. The mixed solvents investigated include water-acetone, water-dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and water-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). In aqueous solution, the selectivity of Purolite A500 for a given anion increases in the order: [ ]??? ??? &lt ??? &lt Cl SCN Au(CN)2 . This selectivity sequence confirms the high affinity of the ion exchange resin for the [ ]??? Au(CN)2 species. In mixed solvents, however, the selectivity of Purolite A500 for [ ]??? Au(CN)2 decreases with an increase in the composition of the organic solvent in the external solution. Mixed solvents containing greater than 60 mol% organic solvent are preferred for the displacement of [ ]??? Au(CN)2 from the resin. The effectiveness of a given type of mixed solvent generally increases in the following order: DMSO &it acetone &it NMP. The ion exchange equilibria are correlated using the Law of Mass Action, modified with activity coefficients, to determine the equilibrium constant for each binary system. The fitted values of the equilibrium constants are consistent with the trends observed in the ion exchange isotherms. The accuracy of the correlation results in the mixed solvent systems range from 1 to 10% and this is similar to the level of accuracy obtained for the ion exchange equilibria in aqueous solution. From these results it can be concluded that the Law of Mass Action is equally valid in mixed solvent systems. The variation in the equilibrium constant with mixed solvent composition, for a given binary system, correlates well with the dielectric constant of the mixed solvent. For a given value of the dielectric constant, however, the equilibrium constant, however, the equilibrium constant is dependent on the type of mixed solvent. A fundamental relationship is derived between the equilibrium constants and the Gibbs energies of transfer associated with the solvation of the ions in the mixed solvents. Based on this relationship, the redistribution of ions between the pore solution and the bulk mixed solvent, appears to be the most significant factor that governs the selectivity of the resin in mixed solvent systems.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 161-170). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University (Canada), 1988. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 62-13, Section: A, page: 0000.

Universiẗat, Diss., 2006--Kassel.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Also available in print.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--School of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, 2004. / Bibliography: leaves 80-87.

Thesis (M.Eng.Sc.)--University of Western Australia, 2004.