Controllable synthesis of straight and branched CdTe nanowires using CdO as precursor

High-quality CdTe nanowires (NWs), containing straight and branched ones, were controllably prepared using CdO precursor via a solution-liquid-solid approach. The resulting NWs have typical diameters below 20 nm with accompany lengths between 1 and 10 ¿m. In the case of branched NWs, tripod, V-shaped and y-shaped morphologies were observed. The reaction conditions were mild and the procedure was safe since Cd(Me)₂, a cadmium precursor widely used in literatures, was replaced by CdO. In principle, the new scheme is more inexpensive because less tri-n-octylphosphine oxide/ tri-n-octylphosphine (TOPO/TOP) was used. A relative economical and safe approach of CdTe NWs was thus presented.