Decorating multi-walled carbon nanotubes with Au nanoparticles by amphiphilic ionic liquid self-assembly

► A novel and easy method has been developed to decorate MWCNTs with Au NPs. ► C16mimBr was used to prepare CNTs and metal nanoparticles hybrid. ► MWCNTs became positively charged after the adsorption of C16mim+. ► Negatively charged Au nanopaticle was easily attached to CNTs by electrostatic effect.