Nanostructured tellurium semiconductor: from nanoparticles to nanorods

Abstract

Selective fabrication of single crystalline tellurium nanorods of various lengths and spherical nanoparticles can be easily achieved by a simple hydrothermal reduction method. The product was characterised by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. It was found that when the concentration of orthotelluric acid gradually increased from 4 to 10, 20, 30 and 50 mM with other conditions controlled, the morphology of the tellurium nanocrystals gradually changed from long nanorod to shorter nanorods and eventually became spherical. Based on the experimental results, the morphology control mechanism of tellurium nanocrytals was well reasoned.

Se (IV) triggers faster Te (IV) reduction by soil isolates of heterotrophic aerobic bacteria: formation of extracellular SeTe nanospheres

“…33 to 220 nm with the majority of them having a diameter around 100 nm. As a p-type semiconductor tellurium nanomaterials have a wide range of applications in photovoltaic cells, light-emitting diodes, sensors and nano devices due to their good photoconductivity, thermoelectricity, catalysis, high piezoelectricity, nonlinear optical properties and ability to form functional materials with many chemicals [ 21 , 22 ]. Successful application of such semiconductors depends on their morphology, structure, size and surface functionality.…”

“…Therefore, new routes for manufacturing various Te nanostructures e.g. nanotubes, nanowires and nanospheres are being searched for [ 21 ].

Figure 2 Bioreduction of tellurite and nanoparticle formation.

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Tellurium, the Forgotten Element: A Review of the Properties, Processes, and Biomedical Applications of the Bulk and Nanoscale Metalloid

“…Tellurium has led to the development of some of the most efficient solar cells in our society, as part of the synthesis of cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductors for solar panels. This alloy gives the highest electrical generation efficiency for photovoltaic solar cells and allows for low-cost power generation (Yuan, Yin, and Nie 2013;S. Lin et al 2016).…”

Highly stable spherical shaped and blue photoluminescent cyclodextrin-coated tellurium nanocomposites prepared by in situ generated solvated electrons: a rapid green method and mechanistic and anticancer studies

“…Over the last two decades, various researchers have synthesized Te-based nanostructures with a wide range of morphologies such as nanorods, 6,9–13 nanowires, 12–18 nanotubes, 19,20 and other 2D/3D structures 1,2,21 using different physical and chemical approaches. These mainly include physical vapor deposition, 1,22,23 molecular beam epitaxy, 1,2,24 microwave, 1,2,4,12,18 solvothermal, 1,2,4,15 sonication, 1,2,25,26 laser 1,27,28 and other wet-chemical strategies.…”

“…This was evidenced by the formation of spherical-shaped Te NCs in the current work, despite the fact that the anisotropic property of tellurium makes it difficult to control the morphology of its nanomaterials (generally leading to the formation of 1D and 2D nanomorphologies such as nanorods, nanowires, nanosheets, nanoneedles, etc . ), 6–21 and (c) α-CD was preferred over β-CD due to the latter's lower water solubility. 37,45 While, in the current work, a higher concentration of α-CD was used for effectively stabilizing the NCs.…”