Fabrication and characterizations of ZnO nanorods/Au nanoparticle composites on the electropolished Ti substrate

• Nanocomposites of Au nanoparticles were spread on ZnO nanorods on Ti substrate.
• Multiple material analyses were performed on 2 nm and 20 nm nanoparticles.
• 20 nm nanoparticles formed more and larger clusters.
• Optical images show well-distributed nanoparticle ZnO nanorods.

Au nanoparticles (NPs) were spread on ZnO nanorods (NRs) on the polished Ti substrate to form Au/ZnO nanocomposites. Multiple material analyses including field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and images taken by optical microscope were performed on Au NPs of 2 nm and 20 nm on ZnO NRs. The FESEM and optical images under optical microscope indicate that 20 nm NPs can form more and larger clusters than 2 nm NPs on ZnO nanorod. Furthermore, more Au can be detected by EDS and XRD. We studied the behaviors of Au NPs on ZnO NR applications for future potential biosensing and antiseptic devices.