Research summary
Reducing silver nitrate with ethylene glycol in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) yields monodisperse single-crystal silver nanocubes bounded by [100], [110] and [111] facets, with PVP and its molar ratio relative to silver nitrate controlling the geometry and size; these cubes serve as sacrificial templates to form single-crystalline gold nanoboxes bounded by [100] and [111] facets [1]. A broader review of shape-controlled synthesis of metal nanocrystals discusses nucleation and growth, the range of achievable shapes, and the experimental parameters used to manipulate them, framing morphology control as a route to tailored properties [2]. The plasmonic resonance peaks of gold nanostructures — nanospheres, nanorods, nanoshells and nanocages — can be tuned from the visible into the near-infrared by changing shape and solid-versus-hollow structure, with the inertness of gold supporting biomedical use [9]. A subsequent review covers controlled synthesis and assembly of silver nanostructures for plasmonic applications [7]. Pd-Pt bimetallic nanodendrites — dense arrays of Pt branches grown on Pd cores via reduction of K_2PtCl_4 with L-ascorbic acid on Pd seeds — exhibit large surface areas and active facets, giving roughly 2.5x higher mass activity than commercial Pt for the oxygen reduction reaction in proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells [6]. Soft lithography is presented in two complementary reviews as a non-photolithographic strategy based on elastomeric stamps and replica molding, comprising microcontact printing, replica molding, microtransfer molding, micromolding in capillaries and solvent-assisted micromolding, and producing features from 30 nm to 100 um without specialised cleanrooms or high-energy radiation [4][5]. Engineered nanoparticles are surveyed as carriers in cancer therapy, designed with controlled sizes, shapes and surfaces to address poor solubility, lack of targeting and systemic toxicity of conventional anticancer drugs [8]. Electrospinning is reviewed as a route to ultrathin fibers with diverse compositions, structures and properties [3].
Recent publications
- Shape-Controlled Synthesis of Gold and Silver NanoparticlesDOI
- Shape‐Controlled Synthesis of Metal Nanocrystals: Simple Chemistry Meets Complex Physics?DOI
- Electrospinning and Electrospun Nanofibers: Methods, Materials, and ApplicationsDOI
- SOFT LITHOGRAPHYDOI
- Soft LithographyDOI
- Pd-Pt Bimetallic Nanodendrites with High Activity for Oxygen ReductionDOI
- Controlling the Synthesis and Assembly of Silver Nanostructures for Plasmonic ApplicationsDOI
- Soft lithography for micro- and nanoscale patterningDOI
- Engineered Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery in Cancer TherapyDOI
- Gold nanostructures: engineering their plasmonic properties for biomedical applicationsDOI
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Email Younan Xia 6-12 months before your application deadline. Read several recent papers and reference specific work in your message. Use our how to email a Japanese professor guide for the proven email structure.
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External profiles
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2431-7048
- OpenAlex: openalex.org
Profile compiled from public sources (Researchmap, OpenAlex, Hokkaido University faculty directory). Last refreshed 2026-05. Report incorrect information.