Composite Nanoparticles: Hybrid Au-CdSe and Ag-CdSe Nanoflowers and Core-Shell Nanocrystals via One-Pot Heterogeneous Nucleation and Growth (Small 23/2011)

Heterogeneous nucleation and growth of CdSe nanocrystals on preformed Aucores are observed. In the early stages of the process, the Au nanocrystal cores form chainlike assemblies surrounded by small CdSe clusters assembled in a rodlike domain. By the addition of more Cd and Se ions, CdSe nanocrystals form multiply branched structures around the Au cores resulting in nanoflower‐shaped hybrid structures. At relatively high temperatures such as 300 °C, the formation of large, faceted Au cores creates preferential growth sites for the CdSe nanocrystalline shell, thus resulting in well‐defined Au–CdSe core–shell structures with large interfaces between the Au and CdSe domains.