Formation of Metal-Semiconductor Core-shell Nanoparticles Using Electrochemical Atomic Layer Deposition

We report the synthesis of CuI coated and CdS coated Au core-shell nanoparticle films using electrochemical atomic layer deposition (EC-ALD). Au nanoparticle thin films were prepared on glassy carbon supports by depositing alternating layers of poly(diallyl dimethylammonium)-stabilized Au nanoparticles and CoP2W17O618- polyoxometallate interlayers. CuI was deposited onto the surface of Au nanoparticles using electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy, while CdS films were grown by an atom-by-atom co-deposition technique. The semiconductor-coated nanoparticles were characterized by electrochemistry, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Our results indicate that the semiconductors are deposited onto the Au nanoparticles surface by surface limited electrochemical reactions.