Controlled growth of gold nanocrystals on biogenic As–S nanotubes by galvanic displacement

Traditional methods for fabricating nanoscale arrays are usually based on lithographic techniques while alternative new approaches rely on the use of nanoscale templates made of synthetic or biological materials. Here, gold (Au) nanocrystals were grown on the surface of the microbiologically formed As–S nanotubes through the process of galvanic displacement. The size and organization of the synthesized Au nanocrystals were affected by the pH dependent speciation of HAuCl4 precursors as well as the initial ratio of As–S/HAuCl4. We found that as pH increased, the Au nanocrystals grown on As–S nanotubes had smaller sizes but were more likely to assemble in one-dimension along the nanotubes. At a proper initial ratio of As–S/HAuCl4, Au nanotubes were formed at pH 6.0. The mechanism of Au nanostructures formation and the synthesis process at different pHs were proposed. The resulting Au nanoparticle/As–S nanotube and Au nanotube/As–S nanotube hetero-structures may provide important properties to be used for novel nano-electronic devices.