Our research focuses on fundamental science and engineering questions motivated by the creation of materials on the nanometer scale (1 nm=10-9 m). Our research themes include the synthesis, characterization, and applications of nanoparticles (typically 1-100 nm in size). We are developing chemical methods for synthesizing well defined nanoparticles, including atomically precise nanoclusters, shape- and size-controlled nanocrystals, hybrid nano-architectures, and inorganic/polymer nanocomposites. In-depth characterizations of the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles and self-assembled nanomaterials are carried out with microscopy and spectroscopy techniques, such as electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray crystallography, steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopies, etc. We also develop applications of nanoparticles in areas of catalysis, optics, chemo- and bio-sensing, and photovoltaics, etc.
"Photoinduced conversion of silver nanospheres to nanoprisms", R Jin, YW Cao, CA Mirkin, KL Kelly, GC Schatz, JG Zheng, science, 294, 1901 (2001).
"Nanoparticles with Raman spectroscopic fingerprints for DNA and RNA detection", YWC Cao, R Jin, CA Mirkin, Science 297, 1536 (2002).
"Controlling anisotropic nanoparticle growth through plasmon excitation", R Jin, YC Cao, E Hao, GS Métraux, GC Schatz, CA Mirkin, Nature 425, 487 (2003).
"Correlating the crystal structure of a thiol-protected Au25 cluster and optical properties", M Zhu, CM Aikens, FJ Hollander, GC Schatz, R Jin, Journal of the American Chemical Society 130 , 5883 (2008).
"What controls the melting properties of DNA-linked gold nanoparticle assemblies?", R Jin, G Wu, Z Li, CA Mirkin, GC Schatz, Journal of the American Chemical Society 125, 1643 (2003).
"Rational construction of a library of M29 nanoclusters from monometallic to tetrametallic." Kang, Xi, Xiao Wei, Shan Jin, Qianqin Yuan, Xinqi Luan, Yong Pei, Shuxin Wang, Manzhou Zhu, and Rongchao Jin. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 38 (2019): 18834-18840.
"New Advances in Atomically Precise Silver Nanoclusters." Yang, Jie, and Rongchao Jin. ACS Materials Letters (2019).
"Understanding the Solubility Behavior of Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters." Cowan, Michael J., Tatsuya Higaki, Rongchao Jin, and Giannis Mpourmpakis. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C 123, no. 32 (2019): 20006-20012.
"Theoretical Prediction of Optical Absorption and Emission in Thiolated Gold Clusters." Day, Paul N., Ruth Pachter, Kiet A. Nguyen, and Rongchao Jin. The Journal of Physical Chemistry A 123, no. 30 (2019): 6472-6481.
"Gold Nanoclusters: Bridging Gold Complexes and Plasmonic Nanoparticles in Photophysical Properties," M Zhou, C Zeng, Q Li, T Higaki, and R Jin. Nanomaterials 9.7 (2019)
“Correlating second harmonic optical responses of single Ag nanoparticles with morphology”, Jin, R.; Jureller, J.E.; Kim, H.Y.; Scherer, N.F. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 127, 12482 (2005).
“Synthesis of open-ended, cylindrical Au-Ag alloy nanostructures on a Si/SiOx surface”, Zhang, H.; Jin, R.; Mirkin, C.A. Nano Lett., 4, 1493 (2004).
“Thermally-induced formation of atomic Au clusters and conversion into nanocubes”, Jin, R.; Egusa, S.; Scherer, N.F. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 126, 9900 (2004).
“Controlling anisotropic nanoparticle growth through plasmon excitation”, Jin, R.; Cao, Y.W.; Hao, E.; Metraux, G.S.; Schatz, G.C.; Mirkin, C.A.; Nature, 425, 487 (2003).
“Raman dye-labeled nanoparticle probes for proteins”, Cao, Y.C.; Jin, R.; Nam, J.M.; Thaxton, C.S.; Mirkin, C.A. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 125, 14676 (2003).