Synthesis of nanostructures with plasmonic and magnetic properties with potential applications in photocatalysis

Abstract

Hybrid nanostructures (NHs) composed of plasmonic metals and semiconductor materials have been studied due to their multifunctional characteristics and their ability to convert light energy into chemical energy, which is why they have been used in environmental remediation applications. The use of magnetite (Fe₃O₄) as a semiconductor material is relevant due to its ferromagnetic properties, which allows the material to be extracted using an external magnet. Syntheses of NHs composed of gold and magnetite (Au-F₃O₄) are generally carried out by thermal processing of iron precursors in organic solvents. In this study, a methodology was implemented to synthesize NHs composed of Au-F₃O₄ in aqueous medium. The NHs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. Furthermore, the effect of a synthesis parameter on the morphology, phase and optical properties of the synthesized NHs was studied.