title: Size-Tunable Photothermal Germanium Nanocrystals.
abstract: Germanium nanocrystals (ncGe) have not received as much attention as silicon nanocrystals (ncSi). However, Ge has demonstrated superiority over Si nanomaterials in some applications. Examples include, high charge-discharge rate lithium-ion batteries, small band-gap opto-electronic devices, and photo-therapeutics. When stabilized in an oxide matrix (ncGe/GeOx), its high charge-retention has enabled non-volatile memories. It has also found utility as a high-capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries with impressive stability. Herein, we report an organic-free synthesis of size-controlled ncGe in a GeOxmatrix as well as freestanding ncGe, via the thermal disproportionation of GeO prepared from thermally induced dehydration of Ge(OH)2. The photothermal effect of ncGe, quantified by Raman spectroscopy, is found to be size dependent and superior to ncSi. This advance suggests applications of ncGe in photothermal therapy, desalination, and catalysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8525-619X
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanotechnology (INT) and Karlsruhe Nano Micro Facility (KNMF), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von-Helmholtz Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kübel
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto, 184 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3E4, Canada.
authors.forename: Abdinoor A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Jelle
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Chenxi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Manuchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Reyes
authors.affiliation: The Edward S. Rogers Sr. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto, 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3G4, Canada.
authors.forename: Amr S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Helmy
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, 80 St. George Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3H6, Canada.
authors.forename: Geoffrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Ozin
keywords: germanium monoxide; nanochemistry; nanocrystals; photothermal effect; solid-state synthesis