Internship: Stabilizing Gold Nanoparticles with Core-Shell Architectures

AMOLF; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 5,580 - 16,740; Full time

Job summary

AMOLF in Amsterdam is offering an internship focusing on stabilizing gold nanoparticles with core-shell architectures. Interns will investigate how protective coatings can improve thermal stability using advanced spectroscopy techniques. Ideal candidates are Master's students in relevant fields and must be available for at least five months.

The internship involves hands-on research opportunities and aims to foster an inclusive environment encouraging diverse applicants.

Qualifications

• Must be currently enrolled in a Master’s program.
• Must have nationality of an EU-member state or be a student in the Netherlands.
• Internship must be a mandatory part of your curriculum.
• Availability for at least five months is required.

Responsibilities

• Investigate how coating gold nanoparticles can improve their thermal stability.
• Study core-shell nanoparticles using single-particle spectroscopy.
• Conduct photothermal heating experiments using a picosecond laser.

Education

Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related field

Job description

Internship/Master project: Stabilizing Gold Nanoparticles with Core‑Shell Architectures

Work Activities

Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) exhibit plasmonic properties that enable strong light‑matter interactions, making them promising candidates for photothermal catalysis. However, their optical response is highly sensitive to particle shape and therein lies a key stability challenge: GNPs begin to reshape at temperatures around 200 °C, which progressively alters their plasmonic characteristics and degrades their performance over time. In this project, you will investigate how coating GNPs with a protective shell (e.g. titania, TiO₂) can improve their thermal stability. These core‑shell nanoparticles will be studied using single‑particle spectroscopy: because nanoparticle shape governs the plasmon resonance, spectral shifts measured before and after laser heating directly reveal morphological changes. Photothermal heating is achieved using a wavelength‑tunable picosecond laser that excites each particle at its plasmon resonance. Depending on your interests, the project may also include nanoparticle synthesis, electron microscopy correlation, or optical and thermal simulations.

Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in a Master’s program in physics, chemistry, materials science, or a related field.
• Have a nationality of an EU‑member state and/or you are a student at a university in the Netherlands.
• The internship must be a mandatory part of your curriculum.
• You are expected to be available for at least five months, longer preferable.

Working Conditions

At the start of the traineeship your trainee plan will be set out, in consultation with your AMOLF supervisor.

Diversity and Inclusion

AMOLF is highly committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment: we want to develop talent and creativity by bringing together people from different backgrounds and cultures. We recruit and select on the basis of competencies and talents. We strongly encourage anyone with the right qualifications to apply for the vacancy, regardless of age, gender, origin, sexual orientation or physical ability.