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Updated: Mar 23, 2026

Synthesis, Characterization, and Functionalization of Hybrid Au/CdS and Au/ZnS Core/Shell Nanoparticles
Published on: March 2, 2016
Real-Time Imaging of the Formation of Au-Ag Core-Shell Nanoparticles
Shu Fen Tan1, See Wee Chee2,3,4,5, Guanhua Lin2,3,4,5
1Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore , 3 Science Drive 3, Singapore 117543.
Abstract:
We study the overgrowth process of silver-on-gold nanocubes in dilute, aqueous silver nitrate solution in the presence of a reducing agent, ascorbic acid, using in situ liquid-cell electron microscopy. Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures were formed via two mechanistic pathways: (1) nuclei coalescence, where the Ag nanoparticles absorbed onto the Au nanocubes, and (2) monomer attachment, where the Ag atoms epitaxially deposited onto the Au nanocubes. Both pathways lead to the same Au-Ag core-shell nanostructures. Analysis of the Ag deposition rate reveals the growth modes of this process and shows that this reaction is chemically mediated by the reducing agent.
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