MgO nanostructures synthesized by thermal evaporation

MgO nanostructures with various morphologies were fabricated by thermal evaporation through controlling the growth temperature and gas flow, including MgO polyhedral shells, nanotubes, cubes and nanowires. MgO polyhedral shells and nanotubes were fabricated when H-2 was introduced to the system in the beginning of the thermal process, MgO cubes and nanowires were fabricated when Ar/O-2 was introduced. MgO polyhedral shells and MgO cubes were collected in the lower temperature zone, while MgO nanotubes and nanowires were collected in the relative higher temperature zone. The growth mechanism was proposed based on the crystal structure and analysis of growth conditions. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.