Metal oxide nanocomposites with plasmonic nanoparticles: synthesis and diagnostics
Z.V. Shomakhov1, S.S. Nalimova2, V.A. Moshnikov2
1 Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
2 Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University «LETI»
DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2025.17.764
Review
Abstract: Plasmonic nanostructures based on metal oxides modified with noble metal nanoparticles have been attracting increasing attention among researchers working in fields such as photodynamic therapy, biosensors, photonics, optoelectronics, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, and catalysis. The characteristics of these nanocomposites depend on the size of nanoparticles and are determined by the methods and conditions used for their synthesis. In this paper, approaches to the synthesis of «plasmonic nanoparticles – metal oxide» nanocomposites – are analyzed. Methods for producing metal nanoparticles on the surface of pre-synthesized metal oxides are considered, including various methods of precipitation from the gas and solution phases. A group of methods for the single-stage synthesis of nanocomposites is identified, which includes variations of the sol-gel method and others. The particle size, particle size distribution, and uniformity of the arrangement of metal nanoparticles in the formed nanocomposites are analyzed. The possibilities of controlling the interaction of components in nanocomposites are shown by using diffuse reflection spectroscopy by the appearance of absorption bands corresponding to plasmon effects. The interaction of components leads to a decrease in the band gap of composite materials. Additional diagnostic methods are Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which analyze changes in the position of characteristic peaks, as well as the Kelvin probe method in scanning probe microscopy.
Keywords: plasmonic nanoparticles, metal oxide, nanocomposites, synthesis, optical spectroscopy
- Zamir V. Shomakhov – Ph. D., Director of the Institute of electronics, robotics and artificial intelligence, Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov
- Svetlana S. Nalimova – Ph. D., Docent, Micro- and Nanoelectronics Department, Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University «LETI»
- Vyacheslav A. Moshnikov – Dr. Sc., Professor, Micro- and Nanoelectronics Department, Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University «LETI»
For citation:
Shomakhov Z.V., Nalimova S.S., Moshnikov V.A. Nanokompozity oksidov metallov s plazmonnymi nanochastitsami: sintez i diagnostika [Metal oxide nanocomposites with plasmonic nanoparticles: synthesis and diagnostics], Fiziko-khimicheskie aspekty izucheniya klasterov, nanostruktur i nanomaterialov [Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials], 2025, issue 17, pp. 764-778. DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2025.17.764. ⎘
Full article (in Russian): download PDF file
References:
1. Gracheva I.E., Moshnikov V.A., Maraeva E.V. et al. Nanostructured materials obtained under conditions of hierarchical self-assembly and modified by derivative forms of fullerenes, Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids, 2012, vol. 358, issue 2, pp. 433-439. DOI: 10.1016/j.jnoncrysol.2011.10.020.
2. Li A., Tan Y., Wang Y. et al. A general sol-gel route to fabricate large-area highly-ordered metal oxide arrays toward high-performance zinc-air batteries, Small, 2025, vol. 28, issue 5, art. no 2409620, 13 p. DOI: 10.1002/smll.202409620.
3. Hanini F., Guezzoul M., Bennabi F. et al. Correlating electronic structure and antibacterial activity in sol–gel synthesized iron‑doped TiO2 nanostructured thin films, Surfaces and Interfaces, 2025, vol. 72, art. no 106978, 15 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.surfin.2025.106978.
4. Nalimova S.S., Moshnikov V.A., Myakin S.V. Сontrolling surface functional composition and improving the gas-sensing properties of metal oxide sensors by electron beam processing, Glass Physics and Chemistry, 2016, vol. 42, issue 6, pp. 597-601. DOI: 10.1134/S1087659616060171.
5. Bozhinova A.S., Kaneva N.V., Kononova I.E. et al. Study of the photocatalytic and sensor properties of ZnO/SiO2 nanocomposite layers, Semiconductors, 2013, vol. 47, issue 12, pp. 1636-1640. DOI: 10.1134/S106378261312004X.
6. Peshkova T.V. Dimitrov D.T., Nalimova S.S. et al. Structures of nanowires with Zn-ZnO:CuO junctions for detecting ethanol
vapors, Technical Physics, 2014, vol. 59, issue 5, pp. 771-776. DOI: 10.1134/S1063784214050259.
7. Karpova S.S., Moshnikov V.A., Mjakin S.V., Kolovangina E.S. Surface functional composition and sensor properties of ZnO, Fe2O3, and ZnFe2O4, Semiconductors, 2013, vol. 47, issue 3, pp. 392-395. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782613030123.
8. Karpova S.S., Moshnikov V.A., Maksimov A.I. et al. Study of the effect of the acid-base surface properties of ZnO, Fe2O3 and ZnFe2O4 oxides on their gas sensitivity to ethanol vapor, Semiconductors, 2013, vol. 47, issue 8, pp. 1026-1030. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782613080095.
9. Moshnikov V.A., Nalimova S.S., Seleznev B.I. Gas-sensitive layers based on fractal-percolation structures Semiconductors, 2014, vol. 48, issue 11, pp. 1499-1503. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782614110177.
10. Han B., Wang C., Yang W. et al. Hydrothermal synthesis of spherical nanoflower ZnO with highly sensitive isoprene sensing performance, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2025, vol. 1023, art. no 180176, 10 p. DOI: 10.1039/C9CE01556F.
11. Bui C.D., Nalimova S.S., Shomakhov Z.V et al. Pokrytiya iz nanosterzhnej geterostruktury ZnO/Zn2SnO4 dlya effektivnogo detektirovaniya atsetona [ZnO/Zn2SnO4 nanorod heterostructure coatings for effective detection of acetone], Fiziko-khimicheskie aspekty izucheniya klasterov, nanostruktur i nanomaterialov [Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials], 2024, issue 16, pp. 794-804. DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2024.16.794. (In Russian).
12. Shomakhov Z.V., Nalimova S.S., Rybina A.A. et al. Uluchshenie sensornykh kharakteristik binarnykh i trojnykh oksidnykh nanosistem [Improving the sensor characteristics of binary and ternary oxide nanosystems], Fiziko-khimicheskie aspekty izucheniya klasterov, nanostruktur i nanomaterialov [Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials], 2023, issue 15, pp. 879-887. DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2023.15.879. (In Russian).
13. Ryabko A.A., Nalimova S.S., Permyakov N.V. et al. Architectonics of zinc oxide nanorod coatings for adsorption gas sensors, Technical Physics, 2024, vol. 69, pp 1494-1502. DOI: 10.61011/JTF.2023.10.56288.148-23.
14. Bobkov A.A., Lashkova N.A., Maximov A.I. et al. Fabrication of oxide heterostructures for promising solar cells of a new generation, Semiconductors, 2017, vol. 51, issue 1, pp. 61-65. DOI: 10.1134/S1063782617010031.
15. Nalimova S.S., Moshnikov V.A., Bobkov A.A. et al. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study of zinc stannate layer formation, Technical Physics, 2020, vol. 65, issue 7, pp. 1087-1090. DOI: 10.1134/S1063784220070142.
16. Bobkov A.A., Mazing D.S., Ryabko A.A. et al. Study of gas-sensitive properties of zinc oxide nanorod array at room temperature, 2018 IEEE International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Photonics, 22-23 October 2018, St. Petersburg. New York, IEEE Publ, 2018, pp. 219-221. DOI: 10.1109/EExPolytech.2018.8564407.
17. Belew A.A., Assege M.A. Solvothermal synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles: a review of applications, challenges, and future perspectives, Results in Chemistry, 2025, vol. 16, art. no 102438, 20 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2025.102438.
18. Chakrabarty P., Banik M., Gogurla N. et al. Light trapping-mediated room-temperature gas sensing by ordered ZnO nano structures decorated with plasmonic Au nanoparticles, ACS Omega, 2019, vol. 4, issue 5, pp. 12071-12080. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b01116.
19. Cattabiani N., Baratto C., Zappa D.et al. Tin oxide nanowires decorated with ag nanoparticles for visible light-enhanced hydrogen sensing at room temperature: bridging conductometric gas sensing and plasmon-driven catalysis, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2018, vol. 122, issue. 9, pp. 5026–5031. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b09807.
20. Zheng Z.Q., Wang B., Yao J.D., Yang G.W. Light-controlled C2H2 gas sensing based on Au–ZnO nanowires with plasmon-enhanced sensitivity at room temperature, Journal of Materials Chemistry C, 2015, vol. 3, issue 27, pp. 7067-7074. DOI: 10.1039/C5TC01024A.
21. Trzeciak M., Przepiórski J., Kałamaga A., Tryba B. Plasmonic effect of Au nanoparticles deposited onto TiO2-impact on the photocatalytic conversion of acetaldehyde, Molecules, 2025, vol. 30, issue 15, art. no 3118, 22 p. DOI: 10.3390/molecules30153118.
22. Chiu H.-M., Yang T.-H., Hsueh Y.-C. Fabrication and characterization of well-dispersed plasmonic Pt nanoparticles on Ga-doped ZnO nanopagodas array with enhanced photocatalytic activity, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2015, vol. 163, pp. 156-166. DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2014.07.039.
23. Bunluesak T., Phuruangrat A., Thongtem S. et al. Visible-light-driven heterostructure Ag/Bi2WO6 nanocomposites synthesized by photodeposition method and used for photodegradation of rhodamine B dye, Research on Chemical Intermediates, 2021, vol. 47, issue 7, pp. 3079-3092. DOI: 10.1007/s11164-021-04456-0.
24. Gogurla N., Sinha A.K., Santra S. Multifunctional Au-ZnO plasmonic nanostructures for enhanced UV photodetector and room temperature NO sensing devices, Scientific Reports, 2014, vol. 4, art. no 6483, 9 p. DOI: 10.1038/srep06483.
25. Wang Q., Dong P., Huang Z., Zhang X. Synthesis of Ag or Pt nanoparticle-deposited TiO2 nanorods for the highly efficient photoreduction of CO2 to CH4, Chemical Physics Letters, 2015, vol. 639, pp. 11-16. DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2015.08.068.
26. Wang K., Zhan S., Zhang D. Three-dimensional graphene encapsulated Ag–ZnFe2O4 flower-like nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic degradation of enrofloxacin, RCS Advances, 2021, vol. 11, issue 8, pp. 4723-4739. DOI: 10.1039/d0ra09582f.
27. Alsmadi A.K.M., Salameh B., Alshammari O. Synthesis, photocatalytic, and photoelectric performance of mesoporous Au/TiO2 and Au/TiO2/MWCNT nanocomposites, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids, 2025, vol. 207, art. no 112874, 11 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2025.112874.
28. Chen R., Wang J., Luo S. et al. Unraveling photoexcited electron transfer pathway of oxygen vacancy-enriched ZnO/Pd hybrid toward visible light-enhanced methane detection at a relatively low temperature, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2020, vol. 264, art. no 118554, 9 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2019.118554.
29. Motla A., Sharma D., Soma V.R., Annapoorni S. Coupling effect and enhanced detection of organic dyes using SERS with Ag noble metal embellished hexagonal ZnO nanorods, Optical Materials, 2024, vol. 149, art. no 115110, 11 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2024.115110.
30. Ziashahabi A., Prato M., Dang Z. et al. The effect of silver oxidation on the photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO hybrid plasmonic/metal-oxide nanostructures under visible light and in the dark, Scientific Reports, 2019, vol. 9, art. no 11839, 12 p. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48075-7.
31. Simagina V.I., Komova O.V., Ozerova A.M. et al. TiO2-based photocatalysts for controllable hydrogen evolution from ammonia borane, Catalysis Today, 2021, vol. 379, pp. 149-158. DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2020.04.070.
32. Dao T.D., Han G., Arai N. et al. Plasmon-mediated photocatalytic activity of wet-chemically prepared ZnO nanowire arrays, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2015, vol. 17, issue 11, pp. 7395-7403. DOI: 10.1039/C4CP05843G.
33. Benghanoum H., Khezami L., Zaghouani R.B. et al. Electrophoretic deposition of gold nanoparticles on highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes for photocatalytic application, Catalysts, 2025, vol. 15, issue 8, art. no 781, 19 p. DOI: 10.3390/catal15080781.
34. Wang D., Li Z., Zhou J. et al. Simultaneous detection and removal of formaldehyde at room temperature: Janus Au@ZnO@ZIF-8 nanoparticles, Nano-Micro Letters, 2018, vol. 10, issue 1, art. no 4, 11 p. DOI: 10.1007/s40820-017-0158-0.
35. Lo T.-H., Shih P.-Y., Wu C.-H. The response of UV/blue light and ozone sensing using Ag-TiO2 planar nanocomposite thin film, Sensors, 2019, vol. 19, issue 23, art. no 5061, 10 p. DOI: 10.3390/s19235061.
36. Samriti, Kumar P., Kuznetsov A.Yu. et al. Sensitive, stable, and recyclable ZnO/Ag nanohybrid substrates for surface-enhanced raman scattering metrology, ACS Materials Au, 2024, vol. 4, issue 4, pp. 413-423. DOI: 10.1021/acsmaterialsau.4c00002.
37. Zhang B., Zhang S., Xia Y. et al. High-performance room-temperature NO2 gas sensor based on Au-loaded SnO2 nanowires under UV light activation, Nanomaterials, 2022, vol. 12, issue 22, art. no 4062, 20 p. DOI: 10.3390/nano12224062.
38. Karmaoui M., Lajaunie L., Tobaldi D.M. et al. Modification of anatase using noble-metals (Au, Pt, Ag): Toward a nanoheterojunction exhibiting simultaneously photocatalytic activity and plasmonic gas sensing, Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2017, vol. 218, pp. 370-384. DOI: 10.1016/j.apcatb.2017.06.010.
39. Qomaruddin, Casals O., Wasisto H.S. et al. Visible-light-driven room temperature NO2 gas sensor based on localized surface plasmon resonance: the case of gold nanoparticle decorated zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs), Chemosensors, 2022, vol. 10, issue 1, art. no 28, 15 p. DOI: 10.3390/chemosensors10010028.
40. Kaur S., Pal B. Superior visible-light absorbing Ag@ZnO nanorods hybrid photocatalyst for efficient decomposition of commercial pharmaceuticals tetracycline and amoxicillin, Journal of Water Process Engineering, 2024, vol. 58, art. no 104765, 14 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.jwpe.2023.104765.
41. Celebi N., Aydin M.Y., Soysal F. et al. Ligand-free fabrication of Au/TiO2 nanostructures for plasmonic hot-electron-driven photocatalysis: photoelectrochemical water splitting and organic-dye degredation, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 2021, vol. 860, art. no 157908, 13 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.157908.
42. Ansari S.A., Khan M.M., Ansaria M.O., Cho M.H. Gold nanoparticles-sensitized wide and narrow band gap TiO2 for visible light applications: a comparative study, New Journal of Chemistry, 2015, vol. 39, issue 6, pp. 4708-4715. DOI: 10.1039/C5NJ00556F.
43. Kumar R., Janbandhu S.Y., Sukhadeve G.K., Gedam R.S. Visible light assisted surface plasmon resonance triggered Ag/ZnO nanocomposites: synthesis and performance towards degradation of indigo carmine dye, Advanced Materials for Energy & Applications, 2023, vol. 30, issue 44, pp. 98619–98631. DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-22745-y.
44. Bian Z., Tachikawa T., Zhang P. et al. Au/TiO2 superstructure-based plasmonic photocatalysts exhibiting efficient charge separation and unprecedented activity, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, vol. 136, issue 1, pp. 458-465. DOI: 10.1021/ja410994f.
45. Iftekhar Uddin A.S.M., Chung G.S. Effects of Ag nanoparticles decorated on ZnO nanorods under visible light illumination on flexible acetylene gas sensing properties, Journal of Electroceramics, 2018, vol. 40, issue 1, pp. 42-49. DOI: 10.1007/s10832-017-0096-8.
46. Khore S.K., Kadam S.R., Naik S.D. et al. Solar light active plasmonic Au@TiO2 nanocomposite with superior photocatalytic performance for H2 production and pollutant degradation, New Journal of Chemistry, 2018, vol. 42, issue 13, pp. 10958-10968. DOI: 10.1039/C8NJ01410H.
47. Khan R., Yun J.-H., Bae K.-B., Lee I.-H. Enhanced photoluminescence of ZnO nanorods via coupling with localized surface plasmon of Au nanoparticles, Journal of Alloys Compounds, 2016, vol. 682, pp. 643-646. DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.05.036.
48. Abdel-Fattah E.M. Plasmonic ZnO-Au nanocomposites: a synergistic approach to enhanced photocatalytic activity through nonthermal plasma-assisted synthesis, Crystals, 2024, vol. 14, issue 10, art. no 890, 13 p. DOI: 10.3390/cryst14100890.
49. Behera R., Nag A. Semiconductor-bimetallic plasmonic heterojunction ZnO-Ag-Cu as reusable SERS substrate with attomolar detection limit, Chemistry – An Asian Journal, 2025, vol. 20, issue 9, art. no e202401580, 15 p. DOI: 10.1002/asia.202401580.
50. Lian Z., Wang W., Xiao S. et al. Plasmonic silver quantum dots coupled with hierarchical TiO2 nanotube arrays photoelectrodes for efficient visible-light photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen evolution, Scientific Reports, 2015, vol. 5, art. no 10461, 10 p. DOI: 10.1038/srep10461.
51. Kim K.-J., Kreider P.B., Chang C.-H. et al. Visible-light-sensitive nanoscale Au-ZnO photocatalysts, Journal of Nanoparticle Research, 2013, vol. 15, issue 5, art. no 1606, 24 p. DOI: 10.1007/s11051-013-1606-5.
52. Bamola P., Sharma M., Dwivedi C. et al. Interfacial interaction of plasmonic nanoparticles (Ag, Au) decorated floweret TiO2 nanorod hybrids for enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic activity, Materials Science and Engineering: B, 2021, vol. 273, art. no 115403, 13 p. DOI: 10.1016/j.mseb.2021.115403.
53. Cheng Y., Wang W., Yao L. et al. Insights into charge transfer and solar light photocatalytic activity induced by the synergistic effect of defect state and plasmon in Au nanoparticle-decorated hierarchical 3D porous ZnO microspheres, Applied Surface Science, 2019, vol. 494, pp. 959-968. DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.07.257.
54. Zhang Q., Xie G., Xu M. et al. Visible light-assisted room temperature gas sensing with ZnO-Ag heterostructure nanoparticles, Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, 2018, vol. 259, pp. 269-281. DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2017.12.052.
55. Kim D.W., Park K.H., Lee S.-H. et al. Plasmon expedited response time and enhanced response in gold nanoparticles-decorated zinc oxide nanowire-based nitrogen dioxide gas sensor at room temperature, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2021, vol. 582, part B, pp. 658-668. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2020.08.082.