Synthesis; characterization; and growth mechanism of Au/CdS heterostructured nanoflowers constructed with nanorods

Research highlights: → Well-defined and flower-shaped Au/CdS heterostructured nanocrystals were for the first time synthesized. → The Au-nanorod-induced hydrothermal strategy was for the first time used to fabricate metal/semiconductor heterostructured nanomaterials. → A preliminary crystal growing mechanism was also proposed for better understanding the growth process of other Au/semiconductor heterostructure nanocrystals. → The route devised here should also be extendable to fabricate other Au/semiconductor heterostructure nanomaterials. - Abstract: Gold/sulfide cadmium (Au/CdS) heterostructured nanocrystals with a flower-like shape were for the first time synthesized through an Au-nanorod-induced hydrothermal method. The Au/CdS nanoflowers possessed the average size of about 350 nm while the nanorods constructing the nanoflowers had the average diameter, length, and aspect ratio of approximately 50 nm, 100 nm, and 2, respectively. Our method suggested that Au-nanorods played a decisive role in the formation of Au/CdS heterostructured nanoflowers, demonstrated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), electron diffraction (ED), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy measurements. A preliminary experiment model to reveal the Au/CdS growth mechanism was also put forward. The route devised here should be perhaps extendable to fabricate other Au/semiconductor heterostructured nanomaterials, and the Au/CdS nanoflowers may have potential applications in nanodevices, biolabels, and clinical detection and diagnosis.