Selected-control synthesis of Te nanowires and Te/C nanocables by adjusting hydrothermal temperature

Single-crystalline Te nanowires with an average diameter of 70 nm and Te/C nanocables with a smooth core about 50-100 nm in diameter and a surrounding sheath about 60 nm in thickness were obtained through the reduction of Na2TeO3 with glucose in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) under hydrothermal conditions at 130 degrees C and 170 degrees C. The products were characterized in detail by multiform techniques: X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. In the process, the temperature was found to play important roles in determining the produced Te nanowires and Te/C nanocables. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.