A novel and facile strategy for the synthesis of alpha-Fe2O3@Ag hybrid nanoparticles with the assistance of dopamine surface functionalization was brought forward. The surface of the alpha-Fe2O3 particles was first functionalized by polydopamine (PDA), and silver was then plated on the alpha-Fe2O3/PDA surface by electroless plating. The method had the advantage of being simple, nontoxic, controllable, and cost-effective. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FIR) were used to study the crystal structure, surface chemical compositions, and functional groups, respectively, of the hybrid nanoparticles. The results indicated that PDA was successfully deposited on the surfaces of alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles without affecting their crystal structures. The size and uniformity of the silver nanopartides could be well controlled by adjusting the concentrations of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The morphology of the nanoparticles was observed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and laser particle size and potential analyzer, respectively. The results showed that the silver nanoparticles were about 8 rim in diameter and uniformly coated on the surface of alpha-Fe2O3 nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles showed good stability on the alpha-Fe2O3 substrate even after they were subjected to an ultrasonic experiment for 30 min. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.