Gold nanorod/molybdenum sulfide core-shell nanostructures synthesized by a photo-induced reduction process

Coupling of plasmonic nanostructures and semiconductors gives promising hybrid nanostructures that can be used in different applications such as photosensing and energy conversion. In this report, we describe an approach for fabricating a new hybrid material by coupling a gold nanorod (Au NR) core and amorphous molybdenum sulfide (MoS_x) shell. The Au NR/MoS_x core-shell structure is achieved by exploiting the hot electrons generated in the plasmonic excitation of Au NRs to drive the reduction of [MoS₄]^2-, which is pre-adsorbed on the Au NR surface, producing a thin MoS_x layer. This approach allows us to control the thickness of the MoS_x coating layer on the Au NR surface. The resultant Au NR/MoS_x hybrid is characterized by absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy elemental mapping, x-ray diffraction and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.