Public defence, Physical Chemistry, MSc (Tech.) Maija Huuppola

Title of the thesis: Synthesis and ligand exchange of metal nanoparticles

Thesis defender: Maija Huuppola
Opponent: Professor Marta Costa Figueiredo, Eindhoven University Of Technology, Netherlands
Custos: Professor Lasse Murtomäki, Aalto University School of Chemical Engineering

Nanoparticles have great potential in a wide variety of fields of technology, since they exhibit such electrical, magnetic, and optical properties that are not present in the corresponding bulk materials. To optimize nanoparticles for different applications, it is necessary to understand how they form within various systems.

In this thesis work, cobalt and iron nanoparticles were synthesized from metal carbonyls using a method in which particle formation was controlled via carbon monoxide pressure. The study shed light on the growth of cobalt nanoparticles in this system and showed that the effects of carbon monoxide pressure were different for cobalt and iron.

The solubility, functionality, and therefore applicability of metallic nanoparticles can be influenced by ligand molecules attached to their surfaces.

In this thesis work, also the ligand exchange on the surface of silver nanoparticles was studied. A traditional calorimetric method was shown to be suitable for determining the parameters of the reaction.

Thesis available for public display 7 days prior to the defence at Aalto University's public display page.