Transmission Electron Microscopy Study of Gold Nanocubes: Twinning and Anisotropic Growth

This thesis aims to progress our understanding of gold nanoparticle growth mechanisms. Gold nanocubes, with their simple cubic symmetry, is used as a model system. Using conventional and specially developed electron microscopy techniques, three aspects of growth are investigated: twinning in gold nanocubes, anisotropic growth into gold nanobars and the role of copper in anisotropic growth. Collectively, this provides insights into shape control in nanoparticle growth, and how this might be used to engineer nanoparticles of chosen shapes.