Core/shell nanoparticles have often been studied due to their attractive optical, electronic, and catalytic properties. By coupling these core/shell features with physical anisotropy of the shell -by selectively capping only a portion of the core -complex nanostructures with unique properties can be formed. This research investigates the synthesis and plasmonic properties of silver nanocube/metal and oxide core/shell nanoparticles with full or partial shells. The shell materials tested were gold, titania, silica, and cuprous oxide. The general method involved growing the shell on a silver nanocube (AgNC) that was partially embedded in a polystyrene thin-film supported by a glass substrate. The amount of shell coverage was dictated by the depth of embedding, and thus nanocube surface exposed and available for reaction. After in-solution shell growth, the particles were removed from the substrate and suspended in solution. The characterization of these particles by UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy confirmed their altered plasmonic properties and their morphology. This partial shell growth technique is ideal for any low temperature, two step core/shell synthesis. The resultant shells had quite distinct morphologies dependant on the shell material chosen. While the gold and titania shell growths are incomplete at this time, silica and cuprous oxide provided positive results. The AgNC/SiO2 core/shell nanoparticles exhibited a complete and conformal coverage of SiO2 due to undergrowth between the AgNC and the polystyrene. This undergrowth arises from mild etching of the silver during the silica growth, creating space for the silica precursor to penetrate between the core and the polymer thin-film. The AgNC/Cu2O core/shell nanoparticles formed had a distinct half-shell morphology with iv either pyramidal or cubic half-shells where the geometry of the shell is dependent upon the order of reagent addition. Furthermore, the cuprous oxide half-shells caused significant modifications to the localized surface plasmon resonance of the AgNC core and resulted in in-solution hybridization of the plasmon modes. The proposed core/half-shell morphology will be particularly advantageous in the formation of dimers for SERS sensing or as individual particles for catalysis. v

Core/shell nanoparticles are of interest due to their attractive optical, electronic, and catalytic properties.