Synthesis of relatively small-diameter tungsten ditelluride nanowires from solution-grown tungsten oxide nanowires

Tungsten ditelluride (WTe2) is a semi-metallic transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC). WTe2 has attracted a lot of interest for topological properties and various applications such as batteries. In this study, we developed a method to obtain WTe2 nanowires from solution-grown tungsten oxide nanowires. By optimizing the supply of Te vapor, which strongly influences sample composition and structure, and using small-diameter solution-grown nanowires as precursors, we finally synthesized relatively small-diameter WTe2 nanowires with diameters of 15-50 nm. Interestingly, nanowire structures are mainly obtained via tellurization, but when sulfurization and selenization are applied on the same precursors, nanotube structures are obtained. We assume that the volume increase via chalogenization is a key parameter that determines the formation of nanotubes and nanowires.