A Chemical Nanoreactor Based on a Levitated Nanoparticle in Vacuum

authored by: Francesco Ricci, Marc T. Cuairan, Andreas W. Schell, Erik Hebestreit, Raúl A. Rica, Nadine Meyer, Romain Quidant
Abstract: A single levitated nanoparticle is used as a nanoreactor for studying surface chemistry at the nanoscale. Optical levitation under controlled pressure, surrounding gas composition, and humidity provides extreme control over the nanoparticle, including dynamics, charge, and surface chemistry. Using a single nanoparticle avoids ensemble averages and allows studying how the presence of silanol groups at its surface affects the adsorption and desorption of water from the background gas with excellent spatial and temporal resolution. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of this versatile platform by studying the Zhuravlev model in silica particles. In contrast to standard methods, our system allowed the observation of an abrupt and irreversible change in scattering cross section, mass, and mechanical eigenfrequency during the dehydroxylation process, indicating changes in density, refractive index, and volume.
Organisation(s): Institute of Solid State Physics
QuantumFrontiers
External Organisation(s): Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
ETH Zurich
Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt PTB
University of Granada
Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA)
Type: Article
Journal: ACS NANO
Volume: 16
Pages: 8677-8683
No. of pages: 7
ISSN: 1936-0851
Publication date: 28.06.2022
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: General Materials Science, General Engineering, General Physics and Astronomy
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.2c01693 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{0ead20fbc9144dbda924e55e79c55428,
title = "A Chemical Nanoreactor Based on a Levitated Nanoparticle in Vacuum",
abstract = "A single levitated nanoparticle is used as a nanoreactor for studying surface chemistry at the nanoscale. Optical levitation under controlled pressure, surrounding gas composition, and humidity provides extreme control over the nanoparticle, including dynamics, charge, and surface chemistry. Using a single nanoparticle avoids ensemble averages and allows studying how the presence of silanol groups at its surface affects the adsorption and desorption of water from the background gas with excellent spatial and temporal resolution. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of this versatile platform by studying the Zhuravlev model in silica particles. In contrast to standard methods, our system allowed the observation of an abrupt and irreversible change in scattering cross section, mass, and mechanical eigenfrequency during the dehydroxylation process, indicating changes in density, refractive index, and volume. ",
keywords = "bulk temperature, levitation, nanoparticles, silica, surface chemistry",
author = "Francesco Ricci and Cuairan, {Marc T.} and Schell, {Andreas W.} and Erik Hebestreit and Rica, {Ra{\'u}l A.} and Nadine Meyer and Romain Quidant",
note = "Funding Information: The authors thank L. Novotny for stimulating discussions. The project acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council through grant QnanoMECA (CoG - 64790), Fundaci{\'o} Privada Cellex, CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya, and the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through the Severo Ochoa Programme for Centres of Excellence in R&D (SEV-2015-0522). R.A.R. acknowledges financial support from FEDER/Junta de Andaluc{\'i}a-Consejer{\'i}a de Transformaci{\'o}n Econ{\'o}mica, Industria, Conocimiento y Universidades/Projects C-FQM-410-UGR18, P18-FR-3583, and A-FQM-644-UGR20. A.W.S. acknowledges funding through the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany{\textquoteright}s Excellence Strategy–EXC-2123 QuantumFrontiers–390837967.",
year = "2022",
month = jun,
day = "28",
doi = "10.1021/acsnano.2c01693",
language = "English",
volume = "16",
pages = "8677--8683",
journal = "ACS NANO",
issn = "1936-0851",
publisher = "American Chemical Society",
number = "6",
}