title: Monodisperse α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2)@Au core/shell nanocomposite spheres: synthesis, characterization and properties.
abstract: A new hybrid spherical structure α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2)@Au with a size of about 141 nm was designed, with a hematite cubic core surrounded by a thick silica shell and further decorated with gold nanoparticles. The monodisperse α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) spheres were first prepared by a sol-gel process based on the modified Stöber method. Subsequently, the surface of the α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) particles was functionalized by-NH(2) functional groups. The electrostatic attraction of -NH(2) groups will attach the negatively charged Au nanoparticles to the amino-functionalized α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) nanospheres in order to prepare α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) monodisperse hybrid spheres. The M(H) hysteresis loop for α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2) and α-Fe(2)O(3)@SiO(2)@Au spheres indicates that the nanocomposite spheres exhibit superparamagnetic characteristics at room temperature. The optical properties and the application of these hybrid nanocomposites as catalysts for the conversion of CO to CO(2) have also been studied.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nanomaterials and Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Chemistry and Materials, University of Science and Technology of China, Heifei 230026, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chun-Liu
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Shangbin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoxuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Shu-Hong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yu