Formation of MoTe2 nanotubes by electron irradiation

In this article, we report the study and to our knowledge the first production of MoTe2 (Molybdenum telluride) nanotubes by irradiation with high doses of electrons. A 2 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator was used to irradiate the samples at the following conditions: 1.3 MeV voltage, 5 mu A current, dose rate 25 kGy/min, total dosage 1000 kGy. The samples were examined in a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The principal characteristic observed was huge nanotubes of the order of several nm long and few nm wide, which seems to be hollow.. It is necessary to point out that searching carefully through out other areas of the sample, we were not able to locate either onionlike structures or nanoparticles as it is usual to find in graphite, WS2 or MoS2.