Synthesis of Free-Standing Alloyed Plasmonic Zr<sub>x</sub>Hf<sub>1-x</sub>N Nanoparticles.

Abstract

Transition metal nitride nanomaterials are emerging as promising candidates for applications in photochemistry and plasmonics due to their stability and tunable optoelectronic properties. While single transition metal containing nitrides have been extensively studied, experimental reports on mixed-metal systems remain scarce, especially for plasmonic applications. Here, a bottom-up synthesis of mixed zirconium-hafnium nitride nanoparticles with the general formula A_xB_1-xN is reported. Precise control over metal composition is achieved by varying the ratios of metal halide precursors, enabling systematic tuning of the resulting nanomaterial composition and their optical properties. This approach offers a pathway toward the rational design of multimetallic plasmonic nitrides for advanced photonic applications.