A simple route to large scale synthesis of crystalline αSi3N4 nanowires

Crystalline Si₃N₄ nanowires were simply prepared by heating a silicon wafer at 1250 °C in a flowing NH₃ and N₂ atmosphere. The obtained nanowires are straight and uniform with diameters of 30–100 nm and of lengths up to tens of microns. The possible reactions in the synthesis process are discussed. The growth mechanism of the nanowires is vapor-solid (VS) process. PACS 81.05.Je; 81.07.Bc; 81.10.Bk; 81.16.Be; 81.20.Ka     

Ti-assisted β-SiC nanowhiskers by pyrolysis of PTFE: synthesis and mechanical properties

Large quantities of Ti-catalyzed β-SiC nanowhiskers were efficiently prepared via a SHS process by pyrolysis of poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE). The as-synthesized β-SiC whiskers appear to be structurally uniform with width from 50?nm to 2?μm and length of up to several hundred microns, and they are single crystalline in nature. Results demonstrated that Ti particles could significantly accelerate the absorption and dissolving of Si- and C-related fragments. A Ti–Si–C alloy droplet was detected at the end of an individual β-SiC whisker, which indicated that β-SiC whiskers were grown via the vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth mechanism. The elastic bending modulus of individual whiskers was measured by an in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) process; the average value of the elastic bending modulus of individual as-synthesized whiskers was 554?GPa.     

Large-scale synthesis and photoluminescence properties of?SiC networks

By using a novel and low-cost microwave method, three-dimensional SiC networks have been synthesized in large-scale. The composition and structural features of the product were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that the SiC networks consist of nanocable X-junction and Y-junction. Some nanocables are composed of 3C–SiC multicore encapsulated in single amorphous SiO₂ shell. The SiC networks emitted stable violet–blue light around 380 nm under 325-nm excitation. Compared to the emission peak of the SiC networks after etched and the reported results of 3C–SiC nanowires, the emission peak of the SiC networks shows significant blueshift. The origin of the photoluminescence for the SiC networks could be due to two possible reasons: the central crystalline SiC nanowires and amorphous SiO₂ shell. A two-step growth mechanism of the SiC networks was proposed based on the experimental characterizations. The successful synthesis of SiC networks is an important step in the development of SiC-based electronic devices and circuits.     

Facile preparation of single-crystalline nanowires of γMnOOH and βMnO2

A facile method has been developed to synthesize single-crystalline manganese (oxyhydr)oxide nanowires. A pure phase of single-crystalline MnOOH nanowires with the lengths of several hundred nanometres to several micrometers and the diameters of 5–40 nm was synthesized by hydrothermal transformation of commercial granular - or MnO₂ in water, and single-crystalline MnO₂ and polycrystalline Mn₂O₃ nanowires formed after subsequent calcination at 300 and 600 °C of the as-prepared MnOOH nanostructures, respectively. These low-dimensional nanostructured materials may find novel properties and provide more possible applications in lithium batteries and catalysis. PACS 81.07.-b; 81.10.Dn; 81.16.Be     

One-pot aqueous synthesis of cysteine-capped CdTe/CdS core–shell nanowires

A general hydrothermal method was developed to prepare colloidal gadolinium orthovanadate nanocrystals by using supercritical water as a green solvent. The spectacular properties of supercritical water is advantageous for synthesizing crystalline and surface-modified luminescent nanoparticles capped with long alkyl chains of organic modifiers on the surface of the particles to make them dispersible in nonpolar solvents. The size of the nanoparticles could be controlled within 10–15 nm. Characterization of the hydrothermal product was accomplished using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermo gravimetric analysis, and electron dispersive X-ray scattering. The photoluminescence characterization showed that there is a strong red emission under UV excitation, which broadens the material’s various applications.     

Synthesis and characterization of β-Ga_2O_3@GaN nanowires

In this work, we prepared the β-Ga_2O_3@GaN nanowires(NWs) by oxidizing GaN NWs. High-quality hexagonal wurtzite GaN NWs were achieved and the conversion from GaN to β-Ga_2O_3 was confirmed by x-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The effect of the oxidation temperature and time on the oxidation degree of GaN NWs was investigated systematically. The oxidation rate of GaN NWs was estimated at different temperatures.     

Catalyst-free synthesis of vertically-aligned ZnO nanowires by?nanoparticle-assisted pulsed laser deposition

Vertically aligned ZnO nanowires have been successfully synthesized on c-cut sapphire substrates by a catalyst-free nanoparticle-assisted pulsed-laser ablation deposition (NAPLD) in Ar and N₂ background gases. In NAPLD, the nanoparticles formed in the background gas by laser ablation are used for the growth of the nanowires. The surface density of the nanowires can be controlled by varying the density of nanoparticles, which is in turn achieved by varying ablation laser parameters such as the energy and the repetition rate. When single ZnO nanowire synthesized in a N₂ background gas was excited by 355 nm laser-pulse with a pulse-width of 8 ns, stimulated emission was clearly observed, indicating high quality of the nanowire.     

Fabrication and characteristics of N-doped β-Ga2O3 nanowires

Undoped and N-doped  β-Ga₂O₃ nanowires (NWs), using NH₃ as the dopant source, were successfully fabricated by the CVD method on Si substrates. The microstructure, morphology, element composition and carrier concentration of the samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, and EDX. The results revealed that well-aligned undoped NWs were perpendicular to the substrates. Comparing with undoped β-Ga₂O₃ NWs, the morphology of N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ NWs showed a significant change and they were randomly oriented relative to the substrates. As the NH₃ flow was increased, the microstructure of the sample presented a lot of branched-like and trumpet-shaped structures. Simultaneously, a rougher surface has been attained. PL spectrum measurements showed that N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ NWs had ultraviolet (UV), blue and green emission peaks because of the N-doped process. Furthermore, micro-scale undoped β-Ga₂O₃/N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ homojunction structures were fabricated. The I–V property of the fabricated N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ microwire and β-Ga₂O₃/N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ microwire homojunction were compared. I–V results testified that N-doped β-Ga₂O₃ NWs showed p-type conductivity.     

Hydrothermal synthesis and gas sensing properties of?single-crystalline ultralong ZnO nanowires

Ultralong ZnO nanowires were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal reaction of Zn foil and aqueous Na₂C₂O₄ solution at 140°C. The as-synthesized ZnO nanowires are single crystalline with the wurtzite structure and grow in the [0001] direction. The role of Na₂C₂O₄ in the formation of ultralong ZnO nanowires was investigated, and a possible mechanism was also proposed to account for the formation of the ultralong ZnO nanowires. The gas sensor fabricated on the basis of the ultralong ZnO nanowires showed excellent response characteristics towards NH₃ and N(C₂H₅)₃ vapors with low concentration, and its detection limits for NH₃ and N(C₂H₅)₃ are about 0.2 and 0.15 ppm at the working temperature of 180°C, respectively. This result suggests potential applications of the ultralong ZnO nanowires in monitoring flammable, toxic and corrosive gases.     

Ultrasound promoted the synthesis of N-propargylic β-enaminones

The synthesis of 14 novel N-propargylic β-enaminones from the reaction of β-alkoxy vinyltrihalomethyl[carboxyethyl] ketones [R³C(O)CHC(R¹)OMe, where R³ = CF₃, CCl₃, CO₂Et and R¹ = Me, Et, Pr, Bu, i-Pent, CH₂CH₂CO₂Me] with propargyl amines [R²NHCH₂CCH, where R² = Pr, PhCH₂] is reported. Yields, solvents and reaction times needed for reaction completion, by microwave irradiation (MW), conventional thermal heating (TH) and under ultrasound irradiation (US) are compared. The best results were obtained under US irradiation in good to excellent yields (70-93%).     

Fabrication of nanowires and nanostructures: combining template synthesis with patterning methods

We report on different approaches that we have adopted and developed for the fabrication of nanowires and nanostructures. Methods based on template synthesis and on self organization seem to be the most promising for the fabrication of nanomaterials and nanostructures due to their easiness and low cost. The development of a supported nanoporous alumina template and the possibility of using this template to combine electrochemical synthesis with lithographic methods open new ways for the fabrication of complex nanostructures. The numerous advantages of the supported template and its compatibility with microelectronic processes make it an ideal candidate for further integration into large-scale fabrication of various nanowire-based devices.     

Role of Al atom on structural and magnetic properties of β-SiC:Cr

The electronic structure, magnetic properties and also the bonding mechanism of the pure SiC and compounds SiC:Cr and SiC:Cr:Al have been studied using the Quantum SPRESSO Software within the density-functional theory (DFT). β-SiC, which is a nonmagnetic semiconductor, has more applications in industry. For the magnetic property, it is alloyed with transition metal. One of the transition metal is chromium. The calculations showed that its alloy at both Si site and C site (SiC:Cr) changes the physical properties of the host material and contributes in the molecular bond. It is seen that if the Al atom was doped in the compounds, SiC:Cr will produce hole carriers and the magnetic properties will thus increase to the considerable values due to the mediation effect. The magnetic property will create the up and down spin band gap to filter carriers. The charge density distribution illustrates that the Al atom has the atomic behavior in the compounds Sic:Cr:Al and does not contribute in the molecular bond. For comparison, the calculations were performed for the pure β-SiC.     

Facile synthesis of SnO2–ZnO core–shell nanowires for enhanced ethanol-sensing performance

The design of core–shell heteronanostructures is powerful tool to control both the gas selectivity and the sensitivity due to their hybrid properties. In this work, the SnO₂–ZnO core–shell nanowires (NWs) were fabricated via two-step process comprising the thermal evaporation of the single crystalline SnO₂ NWs core and the spray-coating of the grainy polycrystalline ZnO shell for enhanced ethanol sensing performance. The as-obtained products were investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence. The ethanol gas-sensing properties of pristine SnO₂ and ZnO–SnO₂ core–shell NW sensors were studied and compared. The gas response to 500 ppm ethanol of the core–shell NW sensor increased to 33.84, which was 12.5-fold higher than that of the pristine SnO₂ NW sensor. The selectivity of the core–shell NW sensor also improved. The response to 100 ppm ethanol was about 14.1, whereas the response to 100 ppm liquefied petroleum gas, NH₃, H₂, and CO was smaller, and ranged from 2.5 to 5.3. This indicates that the core–shell heterostructures have great potential for use as gas sensing materials.     

Magnetic and structural properties of Fe–Co nanowires fabricated by matrix synthesis in the pores of track membranes

Fe_1-x Co _x nanowires are obtained by electrochemical deposition into the pores of track-etched membranes. The characteristics of the growth process that allow controlling the length and aspect ratio of the nanowires are established. The elemental composition and magnetic properties of the nanowires depend on the diameter of the track-etched pores, which varies from 30 to 200 nm, and the electrochemical potential U (650–850 mV), which determines the nanowire growth rate. According to the results of elemental analysis and the Mössbauer spectroscopy data, the Co content in Fe_1-x Co _x lies in the range of x=0.20?0.25. It is found that the orientation of the magnetic moment of Fe–Co nanoparticles in the wires depends both on the track pore size d and on the nanowire growth rate. Thus, the magnetic moments in nanowires grown in 50-nm-diameter pores are oriented within 0°–40° with respect to the nanowire axis. The magnetic properties of the nanowires are explained in the framework of a theoretical model describing the magnetic dynamics of nanocomposites, which was extended to include the relaxation of the magnetization vector and to take into account interaction between the particles. The key physical parameters important for the technological applications of the nanowires are determined, their dependence on the nanowire growth conditions is traced, and the possibility of controlling them is established.     

Magnetic characteristics of Au–Mn nanowires

The quantum properties of Au–Mn nanowires are analyzed theoretically from first principles. The emergence of magnetic properties in these nanowires, consisting of nonmagnetic elements, is demonstrated. It is shown that the manganese atoms carry fairly large magnetic moments (～4.3 μ_B), although crystalline Mn is a paramagnet. Analysis of the electronic structure of these bimetallic nanowires indicates that the magnetic moments at the Mn atoms arise owing to the formation of a complicated structure of hybrid orbitals. Furthermore, it is found that the antiferromagnetic state in Au–Mn nanowires is stabilized by the occurrence of indirect exchange interaction between Mn atoms.     

Direct synthesis of β-FeSi2 by ion beam mixing of Fe/Si bilayers

The iron di-silicide #-FeSi₂ is a promising direct band gap semiconductor but difficult to produce. Here, the successful direct synthesis of this phase by ion beam mixing of Fe/Si bilayers at temperatures in the range of 450 to 550 °C is reported. The obtained single-phase #-FeSi₂ layers and their structure are confirmed by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, X-ray diffraction and conversion electron Mössbauer spectroscopy.     

Reconstruction of all-electron orbitals from one-electron pseudowave functions and calculations of the intensities of Si X-ray emission spectra of Si, β-SiC,stishovite, and β-cristobalite crystals

The intensities of Si X-ray emission spectra of Si, β-SiC, stishovite, and β-cristobalite crystals are calculated. The wave functions of the initial and final states are obtained in the framework of the density-functional theory with the use of the norm-conserving and ultrasoft pseudopotentials. The all-electron crystal orbitals are reconstructed from the one-electron pseudowave functions. The probabilities of X-ray emission transitions are calculated by reconstructing the all-electron orbitals in two different gauges, namely, the length and velocity gauges. The calculated intensities are compared with the experimental spectra and the partial densities of states.     

Sonochemical preparation of SbS1−xSexI nanowires

A sonochemical method for direct preparation of nanowires of SbS_1?xSe_xI solid solution has been established. The SbS_1?xSe_xI gel was synthesized using elemental Sb, S, Se and I in the presence of ethanol under ultrasonic irradiation (35 kHz, 2 W/cm²) at 50 °C for 2 h. The product was characterized by using techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, selected area electron diffraction, and optical diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The SEM and HRTEM investigations exhibit that the as-prepared samples are made up of large quantity nanowires with lateral dimensions of about 10–50 nm and lengths reaching up to several micrometers and single-crystalline in nature. The increase of molar composition of Se affects linear decrease of the indirect forbidden optical energy gap as well as the distance between (121) planes of the SbS_1?xSe_xI nanowires.     

Controlled growth of large＇scale silver nanowires

Large-scale silver nanowires with controlled aspect ratio were synthesized via reducing silver nitrate with 1, 2- propanediol in the presence of poly （vinyl pyrrolidone） （PVP）. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray powder diffraction were employed to characterize these silver nanowires. The diameter of the silver nanowires can be readily controlled in the range of 100 to 400 nm by varying the experimental conditions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results show that there exists no chemical bond between the silver and the nitrogen atoms. The interaction between PVP and silver nanowires is mainly through the oxygen atom in the carbonyl group.