Au-Functionalized Hematite Hybrid Nanospindles: General Synthesis, Gas Sensing and Catalytic Properties

Hybrid nanomaterials combining the properties of different compositions, which may exhibit multiple functions, are of great significance from both scientific and practical perspectives. In this work, an efficient, green, and general strategy has been developed to fabricate Au(Pt)-functionalized alpha-Fe2O3 hybrid nanospindles. The morphology, structure, and composition of the hybrid nanostructures were characterized by means of XRD/TEM/XPS. Inspired by the unique functions of Au and alpha-Fe2O3, we have applied the Au/alpha-Fe2O3 hybrid nanospindles as a multifunctional nanomaterial for gas sensing and CO oxidation. The obtained results demonstrate that, after functionalization with Au nanoparticles, the hybrid nanospindles exhibit much higher activity for both applications compared to pristine alpha-Fe2O3, indicating a great potential for multifunctional applications.