Nanospheres self-assembled by hybrid oxide nanocrystal and their photoelectric properties.

The hybrid nanocrystals of zinc oxide (ZnO), cadmium oxide (CdO) and copper oxide (CuO) were self-assembled to the nanospheres with special structure in the process of inverse Pickering miniemulsion. The 3-(methacryloxy) propyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) was used to modify the crystalline nanoparticles to obtain the partial hydrophobicity on their surfaces. The influences of the dosage ratio of MPS to the crystalline nanoparticles on the size distribution and surface hydrophobicity of modified nanoparticles were discussed. The modified ZnO, CdO and CuO nanocrystals as solid emulsifiers were self-assembled into four kind structure of nanospheres by inverse Pickering miniemulsion. The dosage usage, the three-phase contact angle and their initial dispersion positions of the modified nanocrystals codetermined the structure of hybrid oxide nanocrystals. The nanospheres of hybrid oxide nanocrystal will be successfully prepared by inverse Pickering miniemulsion; they provide the distinctively photoelectric properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]