The effect of surface ligands on the nanostructure and stability of Au@Cu2O core-shell nanoparticles

Cu2O nanoparticles, as a visible-light responsive p-type semiconductor, have attracted much attention in pho-tocatalysis. However, the applications of Cu2O NPs have been limited due to the low transferring efficiency of photogenerated charge carriers. In this study, taking Au nanorods as core, the growth kinetic process, morphology, and stability of Au@Cu2O nanostructures were controlled by employing three different surface ligands, namely, polyacrylic acid (PAA), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). As a result, relatively stable Au@Cu2O nanocubes were obtained using CTAB. Au@Cu2O NPs with cubic morphology can also be observed using anionic SDS. However, Au@Cu2O-SDS shell is unstable and easily falls off. The most stable Au@Cu2O nanostructures with rough surfaces were synthesized using anionic polymer PAA. Thus, this study provides an effective way to control the nanostructures and stability of the metal-semiconductor heterostructures.

Automated summary

In this study, the growth kinetic process, morphology, and stability of Au@Cu2O nanostructures were controlled by employing different surface ligands. The use of CTAB resulted in relatively stable cubic nanostructures, while the use of SDS led to the formation of nanocubes that were unstable and prone to detachment. On the other hand, the use of PAA produced the most stable nanostructures with rough surfaces. This study provides an effective way to control the nanostructures and stability of metal-semiconductor heterostructures.