Thorny CdSe nanotubes via an aqueous anion exchange reaction process and their photoelectrochemical applications

Abstract

In this work, a new hierarchical architecture of homogeneous CdSe thorns on CdSe nanotubes was synthesized via a simple anion exchange process from Cd(OH)₂ nanowire bundles. The entire process for preparing the CdSe structure was performed in an aqueous chemical bath reaction in which the thorn-like branches steadily grew on the outer surface of the CdSe nanotubes. Their microstructure was analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and their stoichiometric properties were compared using their X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS). The as-prepared hierarchical CdSe nanotubes showed a highly crystalline microstructure, even without thermal treatment, and the structures of the thorny grafts were controllable by a simple modification of the reaction conditions. Moreover, the photoelectrochemical properties of the chemically prepared thorny CdSe nanotubes were investigated with respect to the modified structures and their different stoichiometries.