Development of a General Fabrication Strategy for Carbonaceous Noble Metal Nanocomposites with Photothermal Property

Abstract This study demonstrates a simple hydrothermal method while can be generalized for controllable synthesis of noble metallic carbonaceous nanostructures (e.g., Au@C, Ag@C) under mild conditions (180–200 °C), which also provides a unique approach for fabricating hollow carbonaceous structures by removal of cores (e.g., silver) via a redox etching process. The microstructure and composition of the as-achieved nanoparticles have been characterized using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), serving as a surfactant in the reaction system, plays a key role in the formation of Ag@C, Au@C nanocables, and their corresponding hollow carbonaceous nanotubes in this work. The dynamic growth and formation mechanism of carbonaceous nanostructures was discussed in detail. And finally, laser-induced photothermal property of Au@C nanocomposites was examined. The results may be useful for designing and constructing carbonaceous metal(s) or metal oxide(s) nanostructures with potential applications in the areas of electrochemical catalysis, energy storage, adsorbents, and biomedicine. Graphic abstract This study demonstrate a facile hydrothermal synthesis of noble metal carbonaceous nanocomposites (e.g., Au@C) with simple procedures under mild conditions, which can be25expanded as a general method for preparing diverse carbonaceous core-shell nanoparticles. The Au@C carbonaceous nanostructures exhibit interesting UV-Vis properties dependent upon shell thickness.