Re-entrant-Groove-Assisted VLS Growth of Boron Carbide Five-Fold Twinned Nanowires

We report a preferential growth of boron carbide nanowires with a five-fold twinned internal structure. The nanowires are found to grow catalytically via iron boron nanoparticles, but unusually the catalytic particle is in contact with the low-energy surfaces of boron carbide with V-shaped contact lines. We propose that this catalytical growth may be caused by preferential nucleation at the re-entrant grooves due to the twinning planes, followed by rapid spreading of atomic steps. This is consistent with the observed temperature dependence of the five-fold twinned nanowire growth.