Special Seminar
Name: Prof. Sachin Dev Verma
Affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, IISER Bhopal
Title: Tracking in-situ evolution of metal nanostructures using interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy
Date & Time: Tuesday, 07th October 2025 at 03:00 p.m.
Venue: Rajarshi Bhattacharyya Memorial Lecture Hall, Chemical Sciences Building
Abstract:
Metal nanostructures find extensive applications across various fields, including bioimaging, photothermal therapy, targeted drug delivery, and additional interdisciplinary areas.1 Understanding their growth kinetics is essential for tailoring the properties dependent on shape and size in these plasmonic structures systems.2 To analyse the growth kinetics at the microscopic level, we developed a bespoke microscope built upon the principles of interferometric scattering (iSCAT) microscopy, which facilitates in-situ, label-free, and realtime observation of nanoparticle growth with high sensitivity.3 In this study, we elucidate the growth kinetics of seed-mediated silver nanorod synthesis through a rigorous, systematic investigation of key reaction parameters, including seed volume, precursor concentration, and reducing agent concentration. Our analysis delineates distinct kinetic pathways that govern nanoparticle morphology. Specifically, elevated nucleation rates are found to favour isotropic particle formation, whereas suppressed nucleation, coupled with predominant autocatalytic growth, drives anisotropic rod elongation. These findings establish a comprehensive mechanistic framework for the kinetically controlled synthesis of metal nanoparticles, enabling precise modulation of nanostructure morphology to achieve tailored properties for advanced applications.
References:
(1) Wang, L.; Hasanzadeh Kafshgari, M.; Meunier, M. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2020, 30 (51), 1–28.
(2) Murphy, C. J.; Sau, T. K.; Gole, A. M.; Orendorff, C. J.; Gao, J.; Gou, L.; Hunyadi, S. E.; Li, T. J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109 (29), 13857–13870.
(3) Ginsberg, N. S.; Hsieh, C.-L.; Kukura, P.; Piliarik, M.; Sandoghdar, V. Nat. Rev. Methods Prim. 2025, 5 (1), 23.