Synthesis and Characterization of Uniform Nanowires of Trigonal Selenium

Abstract

This article describes a soft, solution‐phase approach to the large‐scale synthesis of uniform nanowires of trigonal selenium (t‐Se) with lateral dimensions controllable in the range of ∼10 to ∼800 nm, and lengths up to hundreds of micrometers. These highly anisotropic, one‐dimensional (1D) nanostructures were directly nucleated and grown from aqueous solutions without the help of any physical templates, such as channel‐like structures etched in porous materials, or scaffolds assembled from surfactants or block‐copolymers. The 1D morphology of the product was solely determined by the linear characteristics of the building blocks—i.e., the extended, helical chains of atoms contained in the crystalline lattice of t‐Se. A blue shift was observed for the bandgap and interchain transition of these nanowires when their diameters were reduced from ∼32 to ∼10 nm. The photoconductivity of individual nanowires has also been measured using the four‐probe method, and an increase by ∼150 times was found when the sample was taken from the dark and exposed with ∼3 μW μm–2 tungsten light. Since no exotic seeds were involved in this synthetic process, every nanowire (including both ends) should be made entirely of pure selenium, crystallized in the trigonal phase. We believe the protocol described here can be scaled up for the high‐volume production of t‐Se nanowires that can subsequently serve as the physical or chemical templates to generate 1D nanostructures of various kinds of functional materials. The synthetic strategy itself, may also be extendable to other systems containing chain‐like building blocks. The single crystallinity and absence of kinks and other related defects in these nanowires should make them particularly useful in fabricating nanoscale electronic, optical, or mechanical nanodevices.

Biosynthesis and structural characteristics of selenium nanoparticles by Pseudomonas alcaliphila

“…Quintana has reported a method to synthesize selenium nanoparticles of 120 nm in size by pulsed laser ablation [12]. A soft, solutionphase approach to the large-scale synthesis of uniform nanowires of trigonal selenium (t-Se) has been described by Gates et al [13]. Wang has reported a general procedure for directing the assembly of Se nanowires into macroscopic fibers by electro-kinetic techniques [14].…”

Enantioselective control of lattice and shape chirality in inorganic nanostructures using chiral biomolecules

“…Previous reports on the synthesis of Te and Se nanomaterials [29][30][31] did not relate to the chirality or chiroptical activity of the nanostructures, and there were no attempts to direct their handedness. Here, in addition to lattice chirality of nanocrystals, the overall shape of Te nanocrystals is made chiral, to achieve a new level of control over chirality.…”

Similarities between the Abiotic Reduction of Selenite with Glutathione and the Dissimilatory Reaction Mediated by Rhodospirillum rubrum and Escherichia coli

“…Abiotic synthesis of small Se°particles employing glutathione in the presence of DHPC might be of technological interest, e.g. for the production of selenium nanowires used in the electronic industry (10).…”