Selective decoration of nanocrystals on single-crystalline PtTe nanowires based on a solid-state reaction

In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of single-crystalline PtTe nanowires with/without decoration of nanocrystals from different heterostructure nanowires. Sb2Te3/Pt and Te/Pt core/shell nanowires were prepared by Pt deposition on single-crystalline Sb2Te3 and Te nanowires, respectively, using a sputtering process. When Sb2Te3/Pt core/shell nanowires were annealed at 600 degrees C, Sb nanocrystal-decorated PtTe nanowires were fabricated by a solid-state reaction between the core Sb2Te3 nanowires and the Pt shell layers. PtTe nanowires without decoration of nanocrystals were produced by annealing Te/Pt core/shell nanowires at a temperature of 600 degrees C. Based on the experimental results, the comprehensive mechanism for the formation of PtTe nanowires with/without decoration of nanocrystals is discussed herein. We believe that this facile method, based on solid-state reactions, can be exploited to develop low-dimensional Te-based dichalcogenides to improve functionality in a variety of fields such as energy conversion, energy transition, superconductors and topological insulators.