Composition of nanostructured metal particles on oxide tubes (TiO2 and ZrO2) were fabricated and characterized. The composite materials were examined by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, FT-IR absorption, and UV-visible absorption spectra. The results of characterization showed that the composites indeed contained both oxide tubes and gold nanoparticles and that the gold nanoparticles were intimately associated with the nanotubes. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.