Carbon nanotube-mediated three-dimensional vanadium oxide nanoarchitectures with tunable morphology and translatable functionality

A carbon nanotube (CNT)-mediated three-dimensional (3D) vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) nanoarchitecture with tunable morphology and translatable electrical and electrochemical functionality is developed via the step-wise chemical vapor deposition. Controlling the pressure, gas flow, and growth time, based on the collective understanding of the vapor-solid growth mechanism, enables the tailoring of V2O5 nanostructures into diverse functional structures including nanowires, nanoribbons, and nanoplatelets, where the nanoscale topography of an underlying CNT surface facilitates the conformal 3D morphing with extended scale, density, and surface area. An in-depth analysis of the V2O5-CNT interface confirms that the highly crystalline V2O5 nanocrystals are firmly connected to the CNTs with their structural and functional characteristics maintained. Here we demonstrate that the growth process and consequently emerging functionality of the 3D V2O5/CNT hybrid architecture can be translated to various practical frameworks such as porous metallic micromesh with further enhanced surface area and electrochemical conversion. The 3D V2O5/CNT hybrid architecture with application-specific structural tunability may thus be applicable to broader materials and device systems for energy conversion, sensing, photonics, and many others.

Automated summary

A three-dimensional vanadium pentoxide nanoarchitecture with tunable morphology and functionality was developed through step-wise chemical vapor deposition. It can be translated into practical frameworks such as porous metallic micromesh with enhanced surface area and electrochemical conversion. The 3D V2O5/CNT hybrid architecture shows potential for broader applications in energy conversion, sensing, photonics, and other material and device systems.