In2O3 nanowires, nanobouquets and nanotrees

In2O3 nanowires have been prepared by carbon-assisted synthesis starting from In2O3 or In metal. The nanowires have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The nanowires are single crystalline growing in the 〈100〉 direction, as established by high resolution electron microscopy. When a mixture of In2O3 and carbon was used as the starting material, nanowires were obtained along with nanotrees and nanobouquets. The observation of these nanostructures indicates that the growth of the nanowires occurs by the vapor–liquid–solid mechanism. Starting with In metal, only the oxide nanowires were obtained.