Roxana Y. Treviño synthesized shape-controlled metal nanoparticles and used SEM imaging to analyze their morphology. SEM images showed that palladium nanoparticles formed octahedral shapes after 72 hours in solution. However, a repeat SEM of palladium nanoparticles after 2 weeks and 4 days showed particles that were 100 times too large, indicating more time is needed in solution for nanoparticles to properly grow on crystallographic planes before imaging. The conclusion recommends leaving nanoparticles in solution for at least a week and imaging at higher magnifications than 35,000x to accurately analyze size and shape.

1. Synthesis of Shape-Controlled
Metal Nanoparticles
Roxana Y. Treviño

2. SEM Images of Octahedron Shaped
Nanoparticles:
• SEM Pd Nanoparticle Octahedron Shape- • SEM Au Nanoparticle (hypothesis/results)
Octahedron Shape (72hrs at 35,000
magnification)-

3. SEM (Repeat) Pd
Nanoparticle
Octahedron Shape (2
weeks and 4 days):
• Size of Pd
nanoparticle
is 10µm at
1,500
magnification
• About 100X’s
too large if
needing
100nm in size

4. Conclusion:
• Leave in solution for at least a week
before taking SEM images to allow
nanoparticles to grow on their individual
crystallographic planes.
• And look for nanoparticles at a higher
magnification than X35,000.