Use of the Carbothermal Route to Prepare Anisotropic Single-Crystal Platinum Nanostructures with Low Resistivity

We have used a carbothermal process in the absence of a catalyst or template to prepare two-dimensional (2D) platinum (Pt) nanoplatelets and one-dimensional (1D) Pt nanobelts on sapphire surfaces. This paper describes the first examples of the growth of Pt nanobelts and mesobelts. It appears that the presence of adequate quantities of diamond and Y2O3 powder at a molar ratio was a critical factor controlling the Pt gas species to form nanobelts at a relative low level of supersaturation. When the growth time was 15 h, we obtained ultralong (0.5 mm) mesobelts and microsheets. Electrical measurements indicated that the single-crystal Pt nanobelt had an extremely low resistivity of 16.8 mu Omega cm and a failure current density of greater than 1 x 10(7) A cm(-2). These unique Pt nanobelts are potentially attractive nanoscale building blocks for use as interconnects in nanoelectronic devices.