Preparation of VO2 nanowires and their electric characterization

Large-scale VO2 nanowires have been synthesized by two-step method. First, we have been obtained (NH4)0.5V2O5 nanowire precursors by hydrothermal treatment of ammonium metavanadate solution at 170 °C. Secondly, the precursors have been sealed in quartz tube in vacuum and annealed to form VO2 nanowires at 570 °C. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope analysis show that the nanowires have self-assembling nanostructure with the diameter of about 80–200 nm, length up to125 μm. Electrical transport measurements show that it is semiconductor with conduction activate energy of 0.128 eV. A metal–semiconductor transition can be observed around 341 K.