B-doped 3C-SiC nanowires with a finned microstructure for efficient visible light-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production

B-doped 3C-SiC nanowires have been synthesized via a facile and simple carbothermal reduction method at 1500 degrees C for 2 h in a flowing purified argon atmosphere. The obtained nanowires possess a single crystalline and finned microstructure with fins about 100-200 nm in diameter and 10-20 nm in thickness. The diameter of the inner core stem is about 80 nm on average. Due to the smaller band gap, the finned microstructure and the single crystalline nature, the B-doped 3C-SiC nanowires demonstrate efficient activity as high as 108.4 mu mol h(-1) g(-1) for H-2 production, which is about 20 times higher than that of 3C-SiC nanowhiskers and 2.6 times higher than the highest value reported in the literature for SiC materials.