title: Hematite spindles with optical functionalities: growth of gold nanoshells and assembly of gold nanorods.
abstract: The layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly method, combined with the seeded growth technique, have been used to deposit gold shells on the surface of hematite (alpha-Fe(2)O(3)) spindles. While the LBL method yields dense coatings of preformed Au nanoparticles, when AuCl(-)(4) ions are further reduced by a mild reducing agent, thicker, rough nanostructured shells can be grown. The deposition process was monitored by TEM and UV-visible spectroscopy, demonstrating a gradual change in the optical features of the colloids as the surface is more densely covered. The particles so-prepared can find useful applications in cancer therapy and as SERS substrates. Additionally, we show that Au nanorods can be assembled on hematite spindles, providing a flexible way to tune the optical properties of the resulting composite colloids.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Física, and Unidad Asociada CSIC, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spuch-Calvar
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pérez-Juste
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Liz-Marzán
mesh_terms: D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D017348:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning Transmission; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D006046:Gold