Novel cocoon-like Au/La2O3 nanomaterials: synthesis and their ultra-enhanced cataluminescence performance to volatile organic compounds

Cocoon-like Au/La2O3 nanomaterials, consisting of numerous intertwined La2O3 nanowires having a diameter of about 15-20 nm, have been prepared through calcining Au modified La(OH)(3) precursors. The structure was carefully characterized by SEM (scanning electronic microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy) and XRD (X-ray diffractometry). Au nanoparticles with crystallite sizes about 30 nm were uniformly entangled by the nanowires. The catalytic activities of cocoon-like La2O3 supported nano-gold catalysts were thoroughly demonstrated. In contrast to La2O3 nanomaterials, the obtained Au/La2O3 nanomaterials present excellent cataluminescence behavior (that is, much higher intensity and signal/noise values, and much faster response and recovery time) to volatile organic compounds, such as tetrahydrofuran, acetone, ethanol, benzene, chloroform and chlorobenzene.