About the Seminar:

Nanoparticles play a crucial role in advancing alternative and renewable energy technologies due to their unique properties and tunable structures. This presentation explores the nucleation, growth, and mechanistic pathways of both classic and selenium-containing nanoparticles (NPs), with a focus on formation kinetics, stoichiometry, and self-assembly. Key findings from well-established systems, including BaSO4 and Pt, will be discussed, highlighting critical factors such as aggregation and rate constants. In more complex systems like Cu-P-Se, particularly Cu3PSe4, ex situ studies using XRD, NMR, and PDF beamline analysis reveal how selenium precursor chemistry influences nanoparticle formation and stoichiometry. Challenges in synthesizing Se-containing NPs and the complexities of their redox transitions will also be addressed. The broader implications for nanoparticle synthesis, including retrosynthetic approaches and future mechanistic studies using in situ techniques, will be outlined to advance the understanding of nanoparticle formation and its application in energy-related fields.