Large Scale Synthesis of Tellurium Nanoribbons in Tetraethylene Pentamine Aqueous Solution and the Stability of Tellurium Nanoribbons in Ethanol and Water

Abstract

Superlong single crystal tellurium nanoribbons with a width of 200-300 nm and length up to several hundred micrometers have been synthesized in tetraethylene pentamine aqueous solution at 80 degrees C. The stability of as prepared tellurium nanoribbons in solvents such as pure ethanol and deionized water has been studied. The poor crystallinity of the initial single crystalline Te nanoribbons with prolonged storing time demonstrated that the initial single crystalline nanobelts tend to be destroyed and to dissolve in the solvent. In meantime, the supersaturation of the solvable Te species in such solvents will result in the formation of amorphous Te, and the formation of amorphous TeO2 due to partial oxidation of the Te nanostructures and the newly formed amorphous Te. The detailed corrosion process, crystallinity, and shape evolution process have been carefully examined by the XRD, TEM, HRTEM, and XPS techniques. This erosion phenomenon attacked by solvents has been not identified previously, suggesting that tellurium nanoribbons synthesized by other chemical methods could be also not stable in solution system and their storage after laboratory synthesis requires special attention.