Anion-Directed Synthesis of Core-Shell and Janus Hybrid Nanostructures

Hybrid nanoparticles show considerable promise with potential applications ranging across catalysis (including photocatalysis), energy conversion, and storage. A generalized synthetic procedure for hybrid nanoparticles is presented. The method offers the flexibility to drive the products toward different hybrid nanostructure morphologies merely via a change in the metal anion, under otherwise identical experimental conditions. Both Ag@CZTS (CZTS = Cu2ZnSnS4) core-shell nanoparticles and Ag2S-CZTS Janus nanoparticles, along with PbS and Au/AuAg hybrid analogues, are synthesized using this methodology, highlighting its versatility and translatability across different materials. The nucleation of the semiconductor is the critical determining step for the synthesis of a given hybrid product. Insight into the mechanism of growth for these two morphologies paves the way for the rational and generalized synthesis of hybrid nanoparticles.

Automated summary

This article presents a generalized synthetic procedure for hybrid nanoparticles, which allows for different product orientations by simply changing the metal anion under the same experimental conditions. Various hybrid nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using this method, highlighting its versatility and translatability across different materials. Insight into the growth mechanism of different morphologies paves the way for the rational and generalized synthesis of hybrid nanoparticles.