Fabrication and characterization of core/shell ZnO/gold nanostructures and study of their structural and optical properties

Abstract

ZnO/gold core/shell is a kind of nanostructure which due to having different surface chemistry are formed a new class of gold coated nanoparticles that will be essential for nanoelectronic,biological and catalytic application. The ZnO/gold core/shell nanostructure having novel electrical and optical properties, and luminescence properties have been exploited for controlling antibacterial systems, bio-sensing and bio-detection. In this paper, we report fabrication and characterization of ZnO/gold core/shell nanoparticles by chemical method and Turkevich citrate method.The formation of ZnO/gold nanocomposite can be observed by a change in color from white to gray precipitate. Characterization of the prepared samples was carried out by various techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Elemental analysis (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence measurement (PL), UV-VIS diffuse reflectance/absorption spectroscopy, Typical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). The formation of gold layer on the ZnO surface can be proved using the results obtained from the UV-VIS, EDS and XRD pattern.