Synthesis and self-assembly of Cu1.94S–ZnS heterostructured nanorods

Abstract

Cu_1.94S–ZnS heterostructured nanorods are prepared by injecting Zn(acac)₂-dodecanethiol solution into hot reaction systems containing Cu_1.94S nanocrystals which catalyze the pyrolysis of Zn(acac)₂ and the following epitaxial growth of ZnS on Cu_1.94S seeds. Crystallographic analysis suggests that the built-in p–n type heterostructures allow the dipole moment vectors of both the Cu_1.94S “head” and ZnS “tail” to overlap, consequently giving rise to unexpected zipper-like self-assembled structures formed by the heterostructured Cu_1.94S–ZnS nanorods.