Abstract
The formation of long-range order, uniform in size and regular in shape 2-D arrays of Au@TOAB-DT nanoparticles by self-assembly with a reaction involving the displacement of the outer-shells from TOAB to DT molecules at room temperature has been investigated. A honeycomb structure with Au skeleton was formed during the preparation of large-area hexagonal superlattices of Au nanoparticles on silicon from Au nanoparticle solution. With the appropriate annealing scheme, extraordinarily large in extent, the regular hexagonal network of Au particles was formed. By varying the Au particles solute concentration, evaporation rate, and substrate temperature, the size of the network can be controlled. The self-assembly of the hexagonal network of Au particles from Au nanoparticle solution as well as its underlying mechanism and technical implications has been investigated. Silicate nanowires were grown on individual Au particles in self-organized hexagonal networks with discrete Au particles on various substrates from Au nanoparticle solution. Two kinds of structures were found in samples. The first is of flowery appearance and the other is like bean sprout at each of the hexagonal node site. The silicate nanowires were found to be blue-light emitting. ZnS nanowires have been used as the template for the growth of carbon nanotubes (ZnS@CNT) with ZnS nanowires encapsulated inside by in situ TEM observation. The work provides a generic route toward the preparation and applications of new one-dimensional heterogenous coaxial nanostructures.