Three dimensional koosh ball nanoarchitecture with a tunable magnetic core, fluorescent nanowire shell and enhanced photocatalytic property

A mild, wet chemical strategy has been developed to synthesize three-dimensional (3D) multicomponent koosh ball nanoarchitectures comprised of a tunable magnetic iron oxide core and a 3D fluorescent ZnO nanowire shell, which demonstrate enhanced photocatalytic property towards dye degradation under UV irradiation. The phase transition of the magnetic iron oxide core and the native defects induced fluorescence of the nanowire shell can be simultaneously manipulated by post-hydrogen annealing to produce various koosh balls with retained morphology but different magnetic and photocatalytic properties. This unique koosh ball architecture initiates the three-dimensional nanowire growth on the micro-scale spherical substrate and enables the rational combination of multiple desired functionalities originating from dissimilar constituents.