Surface Of Au Nanoparticles Research Articles

Ultrathin and Isotropic Metal Sulfide Wrapping on Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles for Surface Enhanced Ram Scattering-Based Detection of Trace Heavy-Metal Ions.

A facile and general strategy is presented for homogenous and ultrathin metal sulfide wrapping on plasmonic metal (PM) nanoparticles (NPs) based on a thiourea-induced isotropic shell growth. This strategy is typically implemented just via adding the thiourea into pre-formed PM colloidal solutions containing target metal ions. The validity of this strategy is demonstrated by taking the wrapped NPs with Au core and CuS shell or Au@CuS NPs as an example. They are successfully fabricated via adding the thiourea and Cu2+ solutions into pre-formed Au NP colloidal solution. The CuS shell layer is highly homogenous (<10% in relative standard deviation of shell thickness), regardless of the NPs' shape or curvature. The shell thickness can be controlled from tens down to 0.5 nm just by the addition of different amounts of shell precursors. The formation of the shell layer on the Au NPs can be attributed to the alternative deposition of Cu2+ and S2- ions on the thiourea-modified surface of Au NPs in the solution, which induces the isotropic shell growth. Further, this strategy is of good universality. Many other sulfide-wrapped PM NPs, such as Ag@CuS, Au@PtS2, Au@HgS, Ag@Ag2S NPs, and Ag@CuS nanorods, have been successfully obtained with homogeneous and ultrathin shells. Importantly, such ultrathin sulfide-wrapped PM NPs can be used for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based detection of trace heavy-metal ions with strong anti-interference via the ion exchange process between the metal sulfide shell and heavy-metal ions. This study provides a simple and controllable route for wrapping the homogenous and ultrathin sulfide layers on the PM NPs, and such wrapped NPs have good practical applications in the SERS-based detection of trace heavy-metal ions.

Hydrogel based aptasensor for thrombin sensing by Resonance Rayleigh Scattering

In this research, a novel Resonance Rayleigh Scattering (RRS) aptasensor was developed for thrombin monitoring using in-situ synthesized and embedded Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) into poly vinyl alcohol –borax hydrogel (PBH). Thiolated-thrombin binding aptamer (thiolated-TBA) was attached to the surface of AuNPs embedded into PBH to design the PBH-aptasensor for thrombin detection (thiolated-TBA@AuNPs–PBH). To verify the characteristic and morphology of PBH nanocomposite, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, TEM, average particle size analizer and UV–Vis spectra were performed. The difference in RRS intensities in the absence and presence of thrombin was calculated and selected as the monitoring signal. Effect of different parameters on the RRS signal was investigated at excitation wavelength of 500 nm. Under the approved conditions, the linear detection range was validated over the concentration of 0.70 pM- 0.02 μM. The limit of detection based on 3Sb was 0.10 pM. The relative standard deviation for 5.6 pM and 3.6 nM were 4.0 and 2.7% (n = 10), respectively. The proposed aptasensor was successfully applied as an experimental model for thrombin detection in serum samples of healthy volunteers with acceptable results.

Enhanced photocatalytic activity of Bi24O31Br10 nanosheets by the photodeposition of Au nanoparticles

Au-Bi24O31Br10 heterogeneous nanostructures have been successfully prepared by photo-deposition of gold nanoparticles on the surface of Bi24O31Br10 nanosheets. The results demonstrate that the 1Au-Bi24O31Br10 nanostructure shows better activity than the pure Bi24O31Br10 sample for the degradation of 4-chlorophenol and methyl orange under visible light irradiation, which is contributed by the charge transferring from Bi24O31Br10 bulk to the surface of Au nanoparticles, leading to the high-efficiency separation of photo-induced electron-hole pairs, as evidenced by the results of photoluminescence spectra and theoretical calculation. Based on DFT, VB-XPS results and band gap energy, a reasonable photocatalytic mechanism of the Au-Bi24O31Br10 heterogeneous nanostructure is proposed.

Continuous flow-based laser-assisted plasmonic heating: A new approach for photothermal energy conversion and utilization

The aim of this study is to enhance our understanding on photothermal performance of plasmonic Au/TiO2 nanoparticles by conducting a well-controlled experiment under continuous flow conditions. Herein, plasmonic heating experiments of Au nanoparticles decorated on TiO2 nanoparticles were performed using 532 nm laser irradiation. Different parameters, such as Au loading, concentration of nanoparticles, flow rate and laser intensity that could affect the optical and photothermal properties of the nanofluids were studied. The results revealed that the photothermal performance of the nanofluids was remarkably increased in the presence of Au. Particularly, Au nanofluid exhibits a significant higher temperature achieving up to 32 °C compared to that of TiO2 nanofluid (22.5 °C) and water-based fluid (20.5 °C) which is attributed to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect on the surface of Au nanoparticles. The concept of continuous-flow based plasmonic heating of Au/TiO2 nanofluid, with considerable optical and thermal properties, is a promising approach in efficient photothermal applications such as thermal energy supply in industrial chemical processes.

Zn(II) Di‐isobutyldithiocarbamate Complex Enabled Efficient Synthesis of Au/ZnS Nanocomposite Core‐shell in One Pot

AbstractHere, we demonstrate a one pot synthesis of gold/zinc sulphide (Au/ZnS) core‐shell type composite nanostructure via thermal decomposition of single molecular precursor Zn(II)di‐isobutyldithiocarbamate complex. In these Au/ZnS core‐shell type hybrid nanostructures where ZnS quantum dots are assembled onto Au nanoparticles surface were prepared via a facile and reproducible approach under mild conditions. The crystalline nature and interface of these Au/ZnS core‐shell type composite nanostructures were confirmed by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and inverted TEM images. Here Zn(II)di‐isobutyldithiocarbamate complex acts as ZnS source as well as reducing and stabilizing agent for Au0 at their nanoscale range by coating in the reaction medium.

Interaction-Induced Self-Assembly of Au@La2O3 Core–Shell Nanoparticles on La2O2CO3 Nanorods with Enhanced Catalytic Activity and Stability for Soot Oxidation

The sintering resistance of supported Au nanoparticle (NP) catalysts is crucial to their practical application in heterogeneous catalysis reactions. Herein, a series of Au@La2O3 core–shell nanoparticle catalysts supported on the surfaces of La2O2CO3 nanorods (Aun@La2O3/LOC-R) were successfully synthesized via the method of interaction-induced self-assembly. Supported Au NPs with uniform size are deposited on the surfaces of La2O2CO3 nanorods by the gas bubbling-assisted membrane reduction (GBMR) method. La2O3 shell layers spontaneously formed and then partially coated the surface of Au NPs for interaction-induced self-assembly of Au@La2O3 core–shell NPs during the process of calcination at 600 °C. The strong interaction between Au NPs and La2O3 oxides increases the density of active sites (oxygen vacancies) for enhancing the adsorption–activation properties of O2. Aun@La2O3/LOC-R catalysts show high catalytic activity and stability for soot oxidation under the conditions of loose contact between soot and ...

Epoxy-gold nanoparticle nanocomposites with enhanced thermo-mechanical properties: An integrated modelling and experimental study

In this study, we report an integrated theoretical and experimental investigation of an epoxy polymer matrix containing Au nanoparticles. We performed molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the atomic-level interactions between the nanoparticles and the epoxy polymer. Our simulation results reveal that the hardener molecules adopted extended conformations on the Au nanoparticle surface, while the epoxy monomer, bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, adopted more complex molecular configurations at the Au interface. The addition of Au nanoparticles into the epoxy polymer increased the glass transition temperature, likely due to the reduced chain flexibility of the polymer matrix. Our predicted and measured mechanical tests suggest that the nanoparticles had a negligible effect on the mechanical properties due to the low concentrations used. Our computational protocol provides a platform to reveal the molecular-level interactions of nanoparticles and thermoset polymers, enabling the future design of multi-functional nanocomposites with superior properties.

The Devil Is in the Details: What Do We Really Track in Single-Particle Tracking Experiments of Diffusion in Biological Membranes?

Single-particle tracking (SPT) is an experimental technique that allows one to follow the dynamics of individual molecules in biological membranes with unprecedented precision. Given the importance of lipid and membrane protein diffusion in the formation of nanoscale functional complexes, it is critical to understand what exactly is measured in SPT experiments. To clarify this issue, we employed nanoscale computer simulations designed to match SPT experiments that exploit streptavidin-functionalized Au nanoparticles (AuNPs). The results show that lipid labeling interferes critically with the diffusion process; thus, the diffusion measured in SPT is a far more complex process than what has been assumed. It turns out that the influence of AuNP-based labels on the dynamics of probe lipids includes not only the AuNP-induced viscous drag that is the more significant the larger the NP but, more importantly, also the effects related to the interactions of the streptavidin linker with membrane lipids. Due to these effects, the probe lipid moves in a concerted manner as a complex with the linker protein and numerous unlabeled lipids, which can slow down the motion of the probe by almost an order of magnitude. Furthermore, our simulations show that nonlinker streptavidin tetramers on the AuNP surface are able to interact with the membrane lipids, which could potentially lead to multivalent labeling of the NPs by the probe lipids. Our results further demonstrate that in the submicrosecond time domain the motion of the probe lipid is uncorrelated with the motion of the AuNP, showing that there is a 1 μs limit for the temporal resolution of the SPT technique. However, this limit for the temporal resolution depends on the nanoparticle size and increases rapidly with growing AuNPs. Overall, the results provide a molecular-scale framework to accurately interpret SPT data and to design protocols that minimize label-induced artifacts.

Direct visualization of a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy nano-gap via electrostatic force microscopy: Dependence on charge transfer from the underlying surface nano-gap distance

We have visualized surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nano-gap domains with electrostatic force microscopy (EFM). We constructed the SERS substrate using reactive-ion etching of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, with subsequent sputtering of Au onto the etched PET. Because the nano-gap is more strongly charged than the native Au-nanoparticle (NP) surface, we can identify the SERS nano-gap due to the longer dwell time of the tapping EFM tip and the related phase shift of the signal. This produces a differentiating image contrast between the SERS nano-gap and the Au NP surface, with a spatial resolution of ~14 nm. More specifically, differences in the mode-independent Raman-signal enhancement and the peak shift of an adsorbed malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC) molecule are only observed in the smaller SERS nano-gap (found in the surface with Ar+-sputtered Au nano-pillars). We interpret this in terms of the differing morphologies of the underlying Au substrates and the related mechanical compressive strains, which result in charge transfer (CT)-based single-molecule Raman-reporter detection sensitivity.

Superb Specific, Ultrasensitive, and Rapid Identification of the Oseltamivir-Resistant H1N1 Virus: Naked-Eye and SERS Dual-Mode Assay Using Functional Gold Nanoparticles.

To prevent the global transmission of mutant viruses and minimize the damage caused by mutant virus infection, the accurate identification of newly emerged mutant viruses should be a priority. The key problem in mutant virus identification is that the selective detection of a mutant virus in the biological environment, where small amounts of mutant virus and copious amounts of wild-type virus coexist, is difficult. Herein, we report specific and ultrasensitive detection of oseltamivir-resistant (pH1N1/H275Y mutant) virus using functional Au nanoparticles (NPs). The functional Au NPs were prepared by modifying the surfaces of Au NPs with oseltamivir hexylthiol (OHT) and malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC) simultaneously. OHT is an excellent receptor for the pH1N1/H275Y mutant virus because it has a 250-fold higher binding affinity for the pH1N1/H275Y mutant virus than for the wild-type virus. MGITC is a Raman reporter that provides a distinctive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signal. The SERS signal of MGITC on Au NPs allows us to detect pH1N1/H275Y mutant viruses sensitively and quantitatively. The functional Au NPs enable naked-eye and SERS dual-mode detection of mutant viruses. Only in the presence of the pH1N1/H275Y mutant virus, the functional Au NPs aggregate, and the color of the NPs changes from red to purple. This allows us to detect mutant viruses with the naked eye. Furthermore, the aggregated Au NPs can provide strong SERS signals of MGITC. By measuring the SERS signals, we could detect the pH1N1/H275Y mutant virus with a detection limit of 10 PFU. Importantly, the pH1N1/H275Y mutant virus could be detected by using the functional Au NPs even in a mixture of mutant and wild-type viruses with a ratio of 1/100. This result suggests that the present method might be employed for the diagnosis of oseltamivir-resistant virus and for further research, including mutant virus analysis and drug development.

The influence of truncating the carboxy-terminal amino acid residues of streptococcal enolase on its ability to interact with canine plasminogen.

The native octameric structure of streptococcal enolase from Streptococcus pyogenes increasingly dissociates as amino acid residues are removed one by one from the carboxy-terminus. These truncations gradually convert native octameric enolase into monomers and oligomers. In this work, we investigated how these truncations influence the interaction between Streptococcal enolase and canine plasminogen. We used dual polarization interferometry (DPI), localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) to study the interaction. The DPI was our first technique, was performed on all the truncations and used one exclusive kind of chip. The LSRP was used to show that the DPI results were not dependent on the type of chip used. The AUC was required to show that our surface results were not the result of selecting a minority population in any given sample; the majority of the protein was responsible for the binding phenomenon we observed. By comparing results from these techniques we identified one detail that is essential for streptococcal enolase to bind plasminogen: In our hands the individual monomers bind plasminogen; dimers, trimers, tetramers may or may not bind, the fully intact, native, octamer does not bind plasminogen. We also evaluated the contribution to the equilibrium constant made by surface binding as well as in solution. On a surface, the association coefficient is about twice that in solution. The difference is probably not significant. Finally, the fully octameric form of the protein that does not contain a hexa-his N-terminal peptide does not bind to a silicon oxynitride surface, does not bind to an Au-nanoparticle surface, does not bind to a surface coated with Ni-NTA nor does it bind to a surface coated with DPgn. The likelihood is great that the enolase species on the surface of Streptococcus pyogenes is an x-mer of the native octamer.

Size-Selective Electrophoretic Deposition of Gold Nanoparticles Mediated by Hydroquinone Oxidation.

Here we describe the size-selective, hydroquinone (HQ)-mediated electrophoretic deposition of 4 and 15 nm diameter citrate-stabilized Au nanoparticles (NPs) onto a glass/indium-tin-oxide (ITO) electrode. Protons liberated from HQ during electrochemical oxidation at the Au NP surface during collisions with the glass/ITO electrode lead to Au NP deposition through neutralization of the citrate stabilizer surrounding the Au NPs, protonation of the glass/ITO electrode, or some combination of the two. Interestingly, the 4 nm Au NPs deposit at about 300-400 mV more negative potential than that of 15 nm diameter Au NPs because of faster HQ oxidation kinetics at the 4 nm NPs, leading to lower overpotentials. This allows for selective deposition of the 4 nm Au NPs over 15 nm Au NPs in a solution containing a mixture of the two by controlling the electrode potential. Controlled pH experiments indicate that significant NP deposition occurs on glass/ITO at a pH of ∼3, giving insight into the local pH needed from HQ oxidation in order to deposit the Au NPs. Experiments performed at different ionic strengths confirm that migration is a major mode of mass transport of the NPs to the glass/ITO. Long deposition times lead to films of densely packed Au NPs that are mostly free from NP-NP contact, indicating that some electrostatic repulsion between the NPs remains during the deposition. This simple method of Au NP deposition may find use for separation of Au NPs and electrode device preparation for a variety of sensor and electrocatalysis applications.

A glucose biosensor based on the immobilization of glucose oxidase and Au nanocomposites with polynorepinephrine.

A glucose biosensor based on Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), glucose oxidase (GOD) and polynorepinephrine (PNE) was fabricated by a simple and green approach. PNE-functionalized AuNPs (AuNPs@PNE) were synthetized by the polymerization of norepinephrine (NE) onto the surfaces of AuNPs and casted on an Au electrode. After dropping a solution containing NE and GOD on the AuNPs@PNE-modified Au electrode and oxidizing the monomer NE by cyclic voltammetry, a PNE, GOD and AuNP-modified Au electrode (PNE/GOD/AuNPs@PNE/Au) was obtained. The biosensor presented high sensitivity of 35.4 μA mM−1 cm−2 to glucose in the range from 0.003 mM to 3.43 mM with a response time of less than 3 s, a detection limit of 1.34 μM at a signal/noise ratio of 3, a low Michaelis–Menten constant (6.8 mM) and outstanding selectivity as well as stability. Moreover, the sensitivity and linear detection range of the as-prepared biosensor were further enhanced by the addition of the redox mediator p-benzoquinone.

Gold Size Effect in the Thermal-Induced Reaction of CO₂ and H₂ on Titania- and Titanate Nanotube-Supported Gold Catalysts.

In this paper, we study the thermal activation of CO₂ on the surface of small Au nanoparticles supported on TiO₂ and titanate nanotube. We characterize the catalysts with high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and total gold content measurement. We performed catalytic test in flow reactors then we investigate the surface of the catalysts during the adsorption and reaction processes by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFTS). The size of gold nanoparticles on the surface has been found to have the most important effect on the final activity of the studied catalysts. Significantly higher TOF values were obtained when the size of Au were smaller on both TiO₂ and titanate nanotube supports. The size of the Au nanoparticles with the method of their preparation was controlled. The gold adatom promotes the adsorption and scission of CO₂, but the nature of the support has got important effect, too. The explored reaction schemes may pave the way towards novel catalytic materials that can solve challenges associated with the activation of CO₂ and thus contribute to a greener chemistry related to it.

Synthesis of naked plasmonic/magnetic Au/Fe3O4 nanostructures by plasmon-driven anti-replacement reaction

In this study, naked Au(core)/Fe3O4(shell) hybrid nanostructures are rapidly synthesized by a plasmon-driven anti-replacement reaction. The Au nanoparticles are prepared by pulsed laser ablation in water. The mixture of Au nanoparticles and FeCl3 solution is irradiated under a laser with a specific wavelength. The Fe3+ ions are reduced to low valence species by the ‘hot electrons’ in Au, and form the Fe3O4 spindles on the surface of Au nanoparticles. The Au nanoparticles are synchronously oxidized to Au+ and Au3+ ions by the ‘hot holes’. The saturation magnetization and coercivity of Fe3O4 spindles are 48.7 emu g−1 and 218.9 Oe, respectively. Our work provides a facile route to obtain the naked Au/Fe3O4 plasmonic/magnetic nanostructures.

Rapid and sensitive surface‐enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy detection for norepinephrine in biofluids

AbstractNorepinephrine (NE) is a kind of catecholamine neurotransmitter that participates significant function in living organism. Rapid and sensitive detection target in complex system is crucial in analytical science. A facile ferric citrate (CA‐Fe (III)) sensor was designed successfully for sensitive detection of NE by surface‐enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy (SERRS) method. This CA‐Fe (III) sensor was prepared by modifying Fe (III) on the surface of uniform Au nanoparticles (NPs) wrapped with citrate (CA) stabilizer. The implementation of NE selective detection is attributed to significant enhancement provided by Au NPs and additional enhancement provided by ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer between chromophore and analyte. In addition, a universal CH3OH, HCl, and petroleum ether added in sequence pretreatment method was developed and applied to purify and enrich the target in practical biological sample, realizing selective detection of NE in biofluids. This novel sensor combined with SERRS and pretreatment strategy not only amplifies the Raman signal of NE but also paves the way for pretreating sample in complex system.

Quantifying Surface Temperature of Thermoplasmonic Nanostructures.

Precise measurement of the temperature right at the surface of thermoplasmonic nanostructures is a grand challenge but extremely important for the photochemical reaction and photothermal therapy. We present here a method capable of measuring the surface temperature of plasmonic nanostructures with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which is not achievable by existing methods. We observe a sensitive shift of stretching vibration ofa phenyl isocyanide molecule with temperature (0.232 cm-1/°C) as a result of the temperature-dependent molecular orientation change. We develop this phenomenon into a method capable of measuring the surface temperature of Au nanoparticles (NPs) during plasmonic excitation, which is validated by monitoring the laser-induced desorption process of the adsorbed CO on Au NP surface. We further extend the method into a more demanding single living cell thermometry that requires a high spatial resolution, which allows us to successfully monitor the extracellular temperature distribution of a single living cell experiencing cold resistance and the intracellular temperature change during the calcium ion transport process.

Au Nanoparticle Loaded with 6-Thioguanine Anticancer Drug as a New Strategy for Drug Delivery

In this study we suggested a new strategy for drug delivery of 6-thioguanine (6-TG) as a cancer drug by loading of this thiolic drug at a surface of Au nanoparticles. For this goal, we synthesized Au nanoparticle (Au/NPs) by reduction of tetrachloroauric (III) acid solutions by sodium borohydride and characterized Au/NPs by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), Ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Results showed good distribution of synthesized Au nanoparticle with diameter ~ 5 nm. In the second step, we loaded 6-thioguanine with strong Au-S bond by addition of this drug to Au nanoparticle suspension and characterized it by UV-Vis method. Furthermore, Au nanoparticle loaded with 6-thioguanine was utilized as a new system against breast cancer cell line (MCF7). IC50 for free 6-thioguanine, unloaded Au nanoparticle and 6-thioguanine loaded Au nanoparticle (6-TG/Au/NPs) were >15.0, 80.0 and 3.5 μg/ml, respectively. The results obtained revealed high cytotoxicity effect of 6-TG/Au/NPs on breast cancer cell line.

A versatile signal-enhanced ECL sensing platform based on molecular imprinting technique via PET-RAFT cross-linking polymerization using bifunctional ruthenium complex as both catalyst and sensing probes

Molecularly imprinted technique (MIT) has proven to be a significant tool in the analyzing area in virtue of its obvious advantages such as specific recognition, favorable stability to high temperature and higher sensitivity. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) technology has also been receiving enormous attention as a powerful tool in sensing fields. However, sensors based on the combination of MIT and ECL technologies have seldom been reported yet. Herein, we find that Ru(bpy)32+ cannot only work as an efficient catalyst for photo-induced electron transfer–reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization, but also as a sensing probe for ECL sensor. Based on this, we successfully construct ECL sensors via the combination of MIT and ECL techniques. In details, poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) and cross-linked PMAA were synthesized first via a well-controlled PET-RAFT polymerization using Ru(bpy)32+ as catalyst under illumination of visible light with a wavelength of 460 nm, as confirmed by 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Then, negatively-charged Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) with average sizes of 20 nm were prepared and modified with Ru(bpy)32+ via electrostatic incorporation. MIPs were prepared on the surface of AuNPs using melamine (MEL) as the template via PET-RAFT controlled cross-linking polymerization. The MIPs modified AuNPs (AuNPs-MIPs) were then fixed on the surface of working electrode with Nafion to achieve a solid-state ECL sensing platform employing Ru(bpy)32+ as the ECL probes. The as-prepared sensor showed a wide detection range of 5.0 × 10–13 − 5.0 × 10−6 mol/L and a low detection limit of 1.0 × 10–13 mol/L (S/N ≥ 3) was reached in the detection of MEL. Moreover, further tests for analyzing MEL structural analogues proved that the constructed ECL sensing platform could be utilized to detect various substances via specific recognitions.

Target preparation of multicomponent composites Au@CdS/g-C3N4 as efficient visible light photocatalysts with the assistance of biomolecules

In this work, we aimed to develop a novel method for the target preparation of multicomponent composites Au@CdS/g-C3N4 towards high visible light photocatalytic activity with the assistance of L-cysteine biomolecules. Through the interaction of L-cysteine biomolecules with Au nanoparticles and g-C3N4 bulks, CdS layer were in-situ precipitated on the surface of Au nanoparticles to form core-shell structure Au@CdS and Z-scheme structure Au@CdS-g-C3N4 with good interface bonding in composites. By taking advantage of this feature, the highest reaction rate constant of 8%Au@CdS/g-C3N4 for methyl orange dye and phenol degradation was 3.08- and 1.48-folds higher than pure g-C3N4 bulks, which was ascribed to the strong interaction between different substances for efficient charges transferring and separation as evidenced by the studies of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, steady-state and transient photoluminescence spectroscopy. This work highlights the utilization of biomolecules for the target preparation of composites and its application on environmental remediation.