Growth, Engineering, and Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanocrystals (NCrystal Lab)
Scientic Supervisor / Contact Person
Name and Surname
Guillermo González Rubio
ORCID (link)
Other ID (link)
Localization & Research Area
Faculty / Institute
Faculty of Chemical Science
Department
Physical Chemistry
Research Area
Chemistry (CHE)
MSCA & ERC experience
Research group / research team hosted any MSCA fellow?
No
Research group / research team have any ERC beneficiaries?
Yes
Research Team & Research Topic
Research Team / Research Group Name (if any)
Growth, Engineering, and Self-Assembly of Colloidal Nanocrystals (NCrystal Lab)
Website of the Research team / Research Group / Department
Brief description of the Research Team / Research Group / Department
The NCrystal Lab, led by Dr. Guillermo González-Rubio, is affiliated with the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Complutense University of Madrid. The group develops wet-chemical routes and exploits pulsed laser technology to create colloidal nanocrystals with precise dimensions and morphologies, defined compositions and elemental distributions, controlled lattice defects, and tailored self-assembly behavior.
Colloidal nanocrystals are particles with dimensions typically below 100 nm constituted of crystalline materials such as metals and ionic compounds (e.g., metal oxides, chalcogenides, or fluorides), which are homogeneously dispersed in a liquid medium where a layer of surface-bound molecules (surface ligands) prevents aggregation. Colloidal nanocrystals represent an exciting material class where surface and finite-size effects result in prominent phenomena not observed in bulk materials, including enhanced catalytic activity, novel optical properties, and tunable magnetic behavior. For this reason, the science of nanocrystals holds promising prospects in the development of cleaner energy sources, the fabrication of sustainable high-added-value materials, the design of optoelectronic devices, and the creation of efficient disease therapies. However, the ability to precisely fabricate nanocrystals and control their self-assembly behavior is crucial for maximizing their positive impact. In this scenario, our research interests focus on the design of functional surface ligands and the development of colloidal routes exploiting ultrafast pulsed laser irradiation to synthesize, stabilize, and assemble high quality nanocrystals for optical and catalytic applications. Within the framework of the ERC Starting Grant project Time4Nano, we also aim to develop advanced methods for synthesizing multielemental nanocrystals with complex compositions, defined elemental distributions, and engineered lattice defects.
Colloidal nanocrystals are particles with dimensions typically below 100 nm constituted of crystalline materials such as metals and ionic compounds (e.g., metal oxides, chalcogenides, or fluorides), which are homogeneously dispersed in a liquid medium where a layer of surface-bound molecules (surface ligands) prevents aggregation. Colloidal nanocrystals represent an exciting material class where surface and finite-size effects result in prominent phenomena not observed in bulk materials, including enhanced catalytic activity, novel optical properties, and tunable magnetic behavior. For this reason, the science of nanocrystals holds promising prospects in the development of cleaner energy sources, the fabrication of sustainable high-added-value materials, the design of optoelectronic devices, and the creation of efficient disease therapies. However, the ability to precisely fabricate nanocrystals and control their self-assembly behavior is crucial for maximizing their positive impact. In this scenario, our research interests focus on the design of functional surface ligands and the development of colloidal routes exploiting ultrafast pulsed laser irradiation to synthesize, stabilize, and assemble high quality nanocrystals for optical and catalytic applications. Within the framework of the ERC Starting Grant project Time4Nano, we also aim to develop advanced methods for synthesizing multielemental nanocrystals with complex compositions, defined elemental distributions, and engineered lattice defects.
Research lines / projects proposed
We are looking for highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to work on developing advanced methods for:
1. Synthesis and Modification of Colloidal Nanocrystals: Today’s most advanced colloidal nanocrystals are mainly produced via hot injection and seed-mediated bottom-up strategies or their variants (e.g., heat-up or solvothermal approaches). Their strength and versatility rely on the (spatio)temporal separation of nanocrystal nucleation from growth. Thereby, they can provide unmatched control over the properties of nanocrystals by enabling the synthesis of nanocrystals with defined sizes, shapes, elemental distributions, crystal lattice defects, and surface chemistry. During the last few years, we have focused on developing and understanding seed-mediated protocols for anisotropic metal NC synthesis. Currently, we explore seed-mediated and heat-up strategies to grow multimetallic nanocrystals, anisotropic metal-semiconductor heterostructures, and multielemental oxides and chalcogenides. In addition, we explore routes to exploit the ultrafast heating and cooling dynamics triggered by femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses to obtain metal nanocrystals with unprecedented morphologies and optical features. The potential of pulsed lasers to weld and melt colloidal nanocrystals without compromising their colloidal stability is currently being exploited for the synthesis of high-entropy alloy nanocrystals or the control of dopant concentration in ionic nanocrystals.
2. Self-Assembly of Nanocrystals: The self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals offers potential routes to fabricate structured materials with enhanced functionalities, often resulting from the magnification of component properties or the emergence of new features in the assembled structure. In our group, strategies for directed self-assembly and self-assembly in confined spaces are exploited to create nano- and submicron-scale structures with defined superlattices, long-range atomic order, or multicomponent nature. Thereby, we aim to create complex nanomaterials with, for example, magnetoplasmonic features or multiple catalytically active sites.
We invite applications from researchers with backgrounds in chemistry, material science, physics, or nanotechnology. We are particularly interested in expanding our research efforts in the development and study of catalysts based on colloidal nanocrystals. Therefore, we also welcome applications from researchers with experience in catalysis or related fields.
1. Synthesis and Modification of Colloidal Nanocrystals: Today’s most advanced colloidal nanocrystals are mainly produced via hot injection and seed-mediated bottom-up strategies or their variants (e.g., heat-up or solvothermal approaches). Their strength and versatility rely on the (spatio)temporal separation of nanocrystal nucleation from growth. Thereby, they can provide unmatched control over the properties of nanocrystals by enabling the synthesis of nanocrystals with defined sizes, shapes, elemental distributions, crystal lattice defects, and surface chemistry. During the last few years, we have focused on developing and understanding seed-mediated protocols for anisotropic metal NC synthesis. Currently, we explore seed-mediated and heat-up strategies to grow multimetallic nanocrystals, anisotropic metal-semiconductor heterostructures, and multielemental oxides and chalcogenides. In addition, we explore routes to exploit the ultrafast heating and cooling dynamics triggered by femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses to obtain metal nanocrystals with unprecedented morphologies and optical features. The potential of pulsed lasers to weld and melt colloidal nanocrystals without compromising their colloidal stability is currently being exploited for the synthesis of high-entropy alloy nanocrystals or the control of dopant concentration in ionic nanocrystals.
2. Self-Assembly of Nanocrystals: The self-assembly of colloidal nanocrystals offers potential routes to fabricate structured materials with enhanced functionalities, often resulting from the magnification of component properties or the emergence of new features in the assembled structure. In our group, strategies for directed self-assembly and self-assembly in confined spaces are exploited to create nano- and submicron-scale structures with defined superlattices, long-range atomic order, or multicomponent nature. Thereby, we aim to create complex nanomaterials with, for example, magnetoplasmonic features or multiple catalytically active sites.
We invite applications from researchers with backgrounds in chemistry, material science, physics, or nanotechnology. We are particularly interested in expanding our research efforts in the development and study of catalysts based on colloidal nanocrystals. Therefore, we also welcome applications from researchers with experience in catalysis or related fields.
Key words
Application requirements
Professional Experience & Documents
We are looking for enthusiastic postdoctoral researchers with a strong academic background in Chemistry, Physics, Materials Science, Nanotechnology, or related fields. Ideal candidates will have experience in the synthesis of nanomaterials, as well as their spectroscopic and structural characterization. Expertise in heterogeneous catalysis would be a valuable addition. Strong scientific writing and presentation skills, as well as teamwork abilities, are required, along with fluency in English. Interested individuals should submit their CV and a letter of motivation outlining their qualifications and research interests.
One Page Proposal
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