Synthesis and Characterisation of Diverse Nanoparticles for Targeted Applications

In modern research, nanomaterials stand out as some of the most intriguing, versatile, and widely applicable materials available to the scientific community. Over the course of this Ph.D., my work has focused on the synthesis and characterisation of nanoparticles, aiming to develop a comprehensive understanding of this fascinating field within the scope of my skills and the time available. This thesis presents only the most significant of the various research projects I contributed to, centred on nanomaterials for drug delivery, catalysis, and pollutant recovery. My involvement focused on their synthesis and XAS characterisation, later expanded with additional analyses such as XPS and ATR-FTIR. The researches reported in this thesis will be subdivided by the materials they were focused on, namely titania nanoparticles, palladium-based catalysts and gold nanorods conjugated with copper complexes. Titania nanoparticles, synthesized through a standard procedure adapted during this Ph.D. for use in laboratories with different instrumentation, are promising materials for the recovery of glyphosate, an herbicide and water pollutant. Their characterisation provided valuable insights into the factors influencing glyphosate adsorption in water, information crucial for tailoring new nanomaterials to improve their efficiency. Palladium-based catalysts on zeolite supports are promising materials for reducing CO emissions from fossil fuel exhaust by promoting carbon monoxide oxidation. Although the reaction mechanism is still debated, the analyses and simulations presented in this publication support a proposed structure for the active site and reaction pathway. A challenging EXAFS analysis also revealed Pd by-products formed during catalyst synthesis unrelated to the mechanism, a valuable information for designing catalysts with reduced Pd content and, consequently, lower production costs. Gold nanorods for drug delivery are a recent advancement in medical treatment, particularly for cancer therapy, though their growth mechanism remains debated in the scientific community. The characterisations detailed in this thesis has provided valuable insights into the role of the weak reducing agent used during synthesis. When paired with copper complexes designed to target cancerous tissue and act as antituomor agents, these nanorods could offer an innovative treatment approach. However, before any medical testing, it is crucial to assess their structure and stability, particularly in aqueous solutions. Key characterisations, especially through XAS of relevant probed atoms, have confirmed the theorized structure and the stability of the adduct.