Surfactant-assisted synthesis of ZnO-Au nanostructure with good dispersibility

The control on the size and morphology of hybrid nanocrystals is essential for the fundamental research and practical applications of these multimaterial nanocrystals with elaborate structures. In our work, the ZnO-Au hybrid nanocrystals were prepared by using an aqueous solution method, where hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide, a surfactant, was proved to play an important role in obtaining fine hybrid nanocrystals with good dispersibility. Compared to pure ZnO, the hybrid nanocrystals emitted strong visible light arising from the defects at the ZnO/Au interface. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.