Aqueous-solution growth of GaP and InP nanowires: a general route to phosphide, oxide, sulfide, and tungstate nanowires

A general synthetic route has been developed for the growth of metal phosphide, oxide, sulfide, and tungstate nanowires in aqueous solution. In detail, cetyltrimethylammonium cations (CTA(+)) can be combined with anionic inorganic species along a co-condensation mechanism to form lamellar inorganic-surfactant intercalated mesostructures, which serve as both microreactors and reactants for the growth of nanowires. For example, GaP, InP, gamma-MnO(2), ZnO, SnS(2), ZnS, CdWO(4), and ZnWO(4) nanowires have been grown by this route. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the synthesis of GaP and InP nanowires in aqueous solution has been achieved. This strategy is expected to extend to grow nanowires of other materials in solution or by vapor transport routes, since the nanowire growth of any inorganic materials can be realized by selecting an appropriate reaction and its corresponding lamellar inorganic-surfactant precursors.