Hybrid Colloidal Heterostructures of Anisotropic Semiconductor Nanocrystals Decorated with Noble Metals: Synthesis and Function

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2011-05, Vol.21 (9), p.1547-1556
• Main Authors: Vaneski, Aleksandar, Susha, Andrei S., Rodríguez-Fernández, Jessica, Berr, Maximilian, Jäckel, Frank, Feldmann, Jochen, Rogach, Andrey L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201002444

This Feature Article offers an overview of hybrid colloidal heterostructures of anisotropic semiconductor nanocrystals decorated with metals; primarily gold and platinum. The nonspherical shapes of the semiconductor components create a great variety of metal‐decorated hybrid nanostructures, whose synthesis and morphology are considered here. Due to the current interest in photocatalytic systems able to utilize solar energy for water‐splitting, the use of Pt‐decorated CdS‐based nanorods for hydrogen generation is specifically addressed. Great flexibility of the colloidal synthesis leading to well‐defined hybrid semiconductor–metal nanostructures drastically increases the possibility of their integration into functional nanosystems with novel synergetic properties, making them promising candidates for a variety of photovoltaic, catalytic, and sensing applications. Synthesis, morphology, optical properties and application aspects of anisotropic semiconductor nanocrystals decorated with metals are reviewed, with a focus on colloidal CdS–Pt nanostructures for photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water.