Template-Free Electrochemical Synthesis of Selenium Nanowires

Abstract

During past years, one-dimensional nanostructures such as nanotubes and nanowires have drown much attention due to the possibility of their application in nanodevices. This is due to their size-dependent physical properties. Selenium is known to be an important elemental semiconductor which has been widely studied because of the exhibition of so many appealing properties such as high photoconductivity and low photomelting temperature, high piezoelectric, thermoelectricity, and non-linear optical responses. There has been extensive research on Selenium nanowires and nanorods among all Se nanostructures. Se nanowires can be fabricated by using solution-phase method, chemical vapor deposition method, and electrodeposition. The electrodeposition technique is more promising due its simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and low growth temperature. In the present work, we are looking forward to fabricating one-dimensional trigonal Selenium nanowires using electrodeposition. The morphology is controlled as a function of applied potential and pH in the electrolytes. The temperature-dependent annealing will also be performed. The morphology and crystallinity of the Se nanostructures are characterized by Raman spectra, TEM, SEM, and XRD. The electrodeposition of trigonal Selenium nanostructures is demonstrated based on an analysis of linear sweep voltammetry and pH-Eh (pourbaix) diagram.