Controlled synthesis of trigonal selenium nanowires via a facile solution route

An easy method for the preparation of trigonal selenium nanowires at room temperature was developed. The influence of the environmental temperature on the growth rate and morphology was discussed as an important factor. And the illumination could badly foreclose the shaping of the one-dimensional morphology. Ethylenediamine was selected as solvent to prepare the precursor, amorphous selenium. SEM analyses of the phase-transitional processes at different stages showed the integrated transformation of morphology. As a result, nanowires with uniform diameter of about 45 nm were obtained, which was also confirmed by TEM investigations. SAED and XRD pattern demonstrated the as-synthesized nanowires were single-crystalline and trigonal phase.