Preparation and characterization of networked rectangular MgO nanostructures

Networked rectangular MgO nanostructures have been prepared through direct reaction of Mg with flowing oxygen. The nanostructures consist of the branches that have square cross sections and grow in a right-angled zigzag manner to elongate in three dimensions, which form the networked rectangular nanostructures. The edge dimension of their cross-sections is in the range of 50–150 nm. A growth mechanism based on the vapor–solid process is proposed for the formation of the networked nanostructures.