A novel method to encapsulate a Au nanorod array in 15 nm radius multiwalled carbon nanotubes

Gaomin Liao; Yuanyuan Pan; Qiang Wu; Shaoyun Li; Yuyan Weng; Xiaohua Zhang; Zhaohui Yang; Jun Guo; Muzi Chen; Minghua Tang; Ophelia K. C. Tsui

doi:10.1039/C4NR04852K

A novel method to encapsulate a Au nanorod array in 15 nm radius multiwalled carbon nanotubes†‡

Gaomin Liao,^ab Yuanyuan Pan,^ab Qiang Wu,^ac Shaoyun Li,^ab Yuyan Weng,^a Xiaohua Zhang,*^a Zhaohui Yang,*^a Jun Guo,^d Muzi Chen,^d Minghua Tang^d and Ophelia K. C. Tsui^e

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* Corresponding authors

^a Center for Soft Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Research, Soochow University, Suzhou, P.R. China

^b Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Soochow University, China

^c College of Physics, Optoelectronics and Energy, Soochow University, China

^d Testing and Analysis Center of Soochow University, Soochow University, China

^e Physics Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

Abstract

In this paper we demonstrate a novel complex array structure comprising well-aligned Au nanorods (10 nm in diameter) encapsulated inside 15 nm radius multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). A pre-aligned and open-ended nanoporous MWCNT membrane is used as the starting material. Au nanorods are precisely deposited and aligned inside the hollow channels of CNTs by inter-diffusing the HAuCl₄ precursor and the reductant solution. Ultra-long Au nanowires and spherical Au nanoparticles are also observed in the CNT cavity with the same diameter in special cases. Using high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), 3-dimensional TEM (3D-TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), the precise location and composition of the encapsulated Au components with various structures are confirmed. This aligned Au@CNT endohedral material has important potential applications in nanocatalysis, waveguides, as well as in novel plasmonic devices.

Nanoscale

A novel method to encapsulate a Au nanorod array in 15 nm radius multiwalled carbon nanotubes†‡

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