Facile Synthesis of Semiconductor-Metal Hybrid Nanoparticles with an Anisotropic Structure

Abstract

ABSTRACTHere we report a facile and versatile procedure for the preparation of semiconductor-metal hybrid nanoparticles with an anisotropic structure consisting of bismuth telluride (Bi2Te3) and gold (Au) (or silver (Ag)) nanoparticles. We simply added flake-shaped Bi2Te3 nanoparticles (Bi2Te3 nanoflakes) and trisodium citrate to an aqueous Au or Ag precursor solution heated to boiling. The edge part of the Bi2Te3 nanoflake was preferentially modified with Au or Ag nanoparticles, and the Bi2Te3-Au hybrid nanoparticles had a broad peak of light absorption around the visible region and a higher thermoelectric power factor than ordinary Bi2Te3 nanoflakes. Because of the simplicity of the procedure, the hybrid nanoparticles are expected to be used as a new class of functional materials in the large scale production.