A systematic study is performed of the influence of surfactant and temperature on the aspect ratio and monodispersity of Au nanorods, synthesized by a seed-mediated growth technique in water using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. The changes in aspect ratio with temperature show an "anomalous" behaviour, where the aspect ratio first decreases with increasing temperature, reaching a minimum at about 55^oC, and after that increases again reaching a maximum at about 80^oC. A physical explanation of the observed behaviour is proposed. It has also been studied how the CTAB concentration in the cleansing water used in the post-synthesis treatment of the samples affected the stability of the gold suspension. It was found that without the presence of a surfactant such as CTAB in the washing medium, only very few centrifugations can be carried out without considerable loss of product. Characterization of prepared samples was performed with UV-Vis and TEM.

Two types of SiC based field effect transistor sensors, with Pt or Ir gate, were tested to detect methanol in the concentration range of 0–1600 ppm for both process control and leak detection applications. The methanol response was investigated both with and without oxygen, since the process control might be considered as oxygen free application, while the sensor is operated in air during leak detection. Pt sensors offered very fast response with appreciably high response magnitude at 200 °C, while Ir sensors showed both higher response and response time up to 300 °C, but this decreased considerably at 350 °C. Cross sensitivity effect in presence of oxygen, hydrogen, propene and water vapor was also investigated. The presence of oxygen improved the response of both sensors, which is favorable for the leak detection application. Hydrogen had a large influence on the methanol response of both sensors, propene had a negligible influence, while water vapor changed direction of the methanol response for the Pt sensor. The detection mechanism and different sensing behavior of Pt and Ir gate sensors were discussed in the light of model reaction mechanisms derived from hybrid density-functional theory quantum-chemical calculations.

Electrochemical synthesis and physical characterization of ZnO nanoparticles functionalized with four different organic acids, three aromatic (benzoic, nicotinic, and trans-cinnamic acid) and one nonaromatic (formic acid), are reported. The functionalized nanoparticles have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV−vis, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The adsorption of the organic acids at ZnO nanoparticles was further analyzed and interpreted using quantum-chemical density-functional theory computations. Successful functionalization of the nanoparticles was confirmed experimentally by the measured splitting of the carboxylic group stretching vibrations as well as by the N(1s) and C(1s) peaks from XPS. From a comparison between computed and experimental IR spectra, a bridging mode adsorption geometry was inferred. PL spectra exhibited a remarkably stronger near band edge emission for nanoparticles functionalized with formic acid as compared to the larger aromatic acids. From the quantum-chemical computations, this was interpreted to be due to the absence of aromatic adsorbate or surface states in the band gap of ZnO, caused by the formation of a complete monolayer of HCOOH. In the UV−vis spectra, strong charge-transfer transitions were observed.

(a) Thin films of the perovskite structured Na_0.5K_0.5NbO₃ (NKN) have been synthesised with several different sol-gel methods. Only one method gave pure NKN phase while the other methods gave extra peaks in the x-ray diffraction patterns, indicating that other, unidentified, phases were present. Scanning electron microscopy revealed grain sizes ranging from about 50 to 300 nm. The films prepared by chemical methods are compared with sputtered thin films.

(b) Nanocrystals of Gd₂O₃ have been prepared by various methods, using e.g. trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO), diethylene glycol (DEG). The crystalline particles were of sizes 5 to 15 nm. Onto the surface of the particles, made with DEG, different carboxylic acids e.g. oleic acid or citric acid etc, were adsorbed. From IR measurements the bonding to the surface is recognised as chemisorbed via the carboxylate group in a bidentate or bridging fashion, with preference for the bridging coordination. The organic acid-particle complexes were characterised by XRPD, TEM, FTIR, Raman and XPS.

Thin films of the perovskite structured Na_0.5K_0.5NbO₃ (NKN) have been synthesized with three different sol–gel methods, viz. the alkoxide method, a modified Pechini method and a somewhat novel oxalate method, based on 2-methoxy ethanol as solvent with oxalic acid and ethylene glycol as chelating ligand and stabilizer. Only one method (the modified Pechini method) gave pure NKN phase while the other two methods gave extra peaks in the X-ray diffraction patterns, indicating that other, unidentified, phases were present. SEM images revealed grain sizes ranging from 100 to 300 nm.

Nanocrystals of Gd₂O₃ have been prepared by various methods, using, e.g., trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO), diethylene glycol (DEG) or glycine. The crystalline particles were of sizes 5 to 15 nm. Different carboxylic acids, e.g., oleic acid or citric acid, were adsorbed onto the surface of the particles made with DEG. IR measurements show that the molecules coordinate to the Gd₂O₃ surface via the carboxylate group in a bidentate or bridging manner. The organic-acid/particle complexes were characterised by XRPD, TEM, FTIR, Raman, and XPS.

Thin films of the perovskite and garnet structured gadolinium ferrites GdFeO3 and Gd3Fe5O12 have been synthesized by a sol-gel method, based on stoichiometric mixtures of acetyl acetone chelated Gd3+ and Fe3+ dissolved in 2-methoxy ethanol. After spin coating onto Si wafers, and heating in air at 700 degrees C for 20 h, neatly grown essentially single phase films were obtained. From X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy an iron deficiency is observed in the uppermost layer of both films, implying that the crystallites preferably end in planes rich in Gd and O but not in Fe. The films were also characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and magnetic measurements.