POTENTIALS aims to thoroughly study the auto-catalytic formation process of nanoparticles by growth mechanisms following plasmon-assisted secondary nucleation phenomena. In this way, a new nanoparticle synthesis technique will be made available. The project consists of experimental, theoretical, computational and technological sections aimed at a deep characterization of all the mechanisms involved. The experiments will be conducted in the Spanish (CFM) and Canadian (INRS) laboratories. The former will prepare and investigate on the nucleation and growth of metal nanocrystals, while the second will develop an advanced optical setup based on THz technologies to detect local thermal effects both in liquid phase and reduced volume (i.e. in a hydrogel matrix), where auto-catalysis is expected to receive a boost.

Theory and computations will be conducted in Croatia (IRB) to give a statistical physics (mechanistic) and nano-optical assessement of how light irradiation promotes the secondary nucleation and growth of nanoparticles that freely diffuse in a liquid or are immobilized to a gel. Overall, the expected POTENTIALS results are three-fold: i.) to fundamentally understand and devise experimentally a plasmon-assisted nanoparticle growth via autocatalytic secondary nucleation; ii.) delving into plasmon-assisted thermal effects in photocatalysis and their antagonism (or synergy) with hot carrier generations; iii.) to create a tool for plasmonics catalysis in reduced volume where maximum efficiency of light energy conversion into photochemical events may be evoked.