Nano-dendrite Collision

kvd1 — Wed, 08 May 2019 16:02:23 +0000

Hannah Dies

This scanning electron microscopy image depicts branched gold nanostructures (“nano-dendrites”) growing from planar microelectrode tips and crashing halfway, buckling upwards to create a third dimension of nano-features. The structures assemble from gold nanoparticles under the influence of an applied electric field, similar to how iron filings assemble under the influence of a magnetic field. The gold nanoparticle building blocks are 50nm in diameter – about 5000 times smaller than a human hair. The branched network formed by these nanostructures promotes incredible sensitivity for small molecule detection by means of Raman spectroscopy. At the QuSENS laboratory, and with the startup company Spectra Plasmonics Inc., we use these nanostructures to detect illicit drugs, pesticides, and explosives at ultralow and societally relevant concentrations.

Location of photograph:

Dupuis Hall, Queen's University

Prize name:

Winner, People's Choice

Submission Year:

2018-19

Spectra Plasmonics Inc.; Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

Nano-dendrite Collision