Sonochemical Synthesis of Trigonal Selenium Nanowires

This paper describes a solution-based method for the large-scale synthesis of selenium nanowires. Sonication was used as the driving force for both nucleation and dispersion. The trigonal Se seeds were formed during sonication and grew over the course of hours at the expense of the amorphous Se colloids in a process similar to Ostwald ripening. The resultant nanowires were typically single crystals of trigonal Se whose morphologies could be tuned by adjusting the reaction conditions. A variety of solvents are demonstrated for use with this process. We also demonstrate patterned growth of these nanowires on substrates to form extensive 2D networks and isolated clusters. The morphologies of the products were examined with a combination of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques.