Morphology-controlled synthesis, growth mechanism, and applications of tellurium nanostructures

Abstract

Tellurium (Te) nanostructures, especially two-dimensional (2D) tellurene, have recently attracted considerable attention due to their distinctive chiral-chain structures and intriguing physical and chemical properties. Morphology is a crucial factor in determining the properties and applications of Te nanostructures. High-quality Te nanostructures with controllable morphologies and dimensions are synthesized using template-free solution-phase approaches. The morphological evolution generally follows a sequence of zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and 2D phases. Thus morphological control in every phase is of significant importance for the formation of the target products. Reasonable growth mechanisms were developed to describe the morphological evolutions and transformations based on different reaction conditions. A systematic demonstration of the morphology-controlled growth of Te nanostructures and the underlying growth mechanism is significant for the preferable preparation of Te nanostructures and the extension of their applications. This review covers a comprehensive overview of the synthesis methods, morphological control, properties, and potential applications of Te-based nanostructures, providing a broad overview for readers interested in this exciting field.