A simple fabrication route of tellurium nanocomposites via solvothermal recrystallization in nitric acid

Abstract

Nanocomposites of tellurium and sodium nitrate were synthesized via a simple thermal dissolution of polycrystalline tellurium powder in nitric acid, followed by tellurium reduction in the presence of sodium dithionite solution. Thin solid films based on these composites have been fabricated and characterized. The morphology, composition and structure of the films were investigated by SEM, EDS, and XRD methods and the possible chemical reactions for the synthesis of relevant nanocomposites were formulated. It has been established that composites consist of nanowires with a diameter of ~100 nm and lengths up to 1,0 micrometers and nanoparticles of 100 ÷ 300 nanometers comprising about 35 at% Te and 7.0 at% of sodium nitrate. It is expected that nanocomposites synthesized via this method can be of interest in producing functional thin films, having both electronic and ionic conductivity.