Germanium telluride is a prototype phase change material that exhibits appreciable physical property differences between its amorphous and crystalline phase. These differences are exploited in many technological applications to store information in media such as DVDs and Blu-ray discs. Moreover, phase change materials such as germanium telluride are being investigated for use as metamaterials to elicit extraordinary electromagnetic parameters. Herein I report a novel methodology for the conversion of 100 nm thin germanium films on a silicon support to germanium telluride via reaction with a trioctylphosphine-tellurium complex. The product was confirmed and characterized using powder x-ray diffraction. The facile chemical approach presented combines current nanofabrication capabilities with more complex phase change materials to serve as a basic foundation for future metamaterial endeavors.
Also reported within this thesis is the examination of the magnetically separable, heterogeneous nanoparticle catalyst Au-Fe3O4. The dumbbell-like Au-Fe3O4 nanostructure is synthesized and studied for its ability to catalyze organic alcohol oxidation. Catalytic experiment parameters were systematically altered to account for reaction temperature, time, substrate, and solvent polarity. Surface effects of possible ligand moieties present after synthesis are also explored. The Au-Fe3O4 nanoparticle was also deposited on a variety of supports in an effort to induce the formation of new active sites between the Au-Fe3O4/support interface junction. Characterization of products was carried out using a variety of assays including powder x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and gas chromatography.