Low-temperature synthesis of Zn3P2 nanowire

High-quality Zn3P2 nanowires are synthesized at a temperature as low as 350 degrees C using Zn foil and trioctylphosphine by chemical reflux method. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show their diameters vary from similar to 15 to 70 nm. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and nanobeam electron diffraction patterns in combination with structure factor simulation reveal that the nanowires have tetragonal alpha-Zn3P2 structure. Based on high-resolution TEM images and their fast Fourier transform patterns, Zn3P2 nanowires are considered to grow on a vicinity of the possibly highest surface energy plane of (101) with a growth direction parallel to [101].