title: Catalytic solid-phase seeding of silicon nanowires by nickel nanocrystals in organic solvents.
abstract: Colloidal nickel (Ni) nanocrystals were used to direct the synthesis of crystalline silicon (Si) nanowires in an organic solvent. The reaction temperatures ranged from 400 degrees C to 520 degrees C with pressures from 14.3 to 23.4 MPa, conditions that are well above the critical point of the solvent. The Ni nanocrystals play two roles in the synthesis: (1) Ni catalyzes the decomposition of the silicon precursors, i.e., arylsilanes, alkylsilanes, and trisilane, to silicon; (2) Ni nanocrystals induce silicon crystallization through the solid-phase alloying of Si in the Ni seeds. We call this nanowire growth mechanism supercritical fluid-solid-solid (SFSS) synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Materials Institute, Center for Nano- and Molecular Science and Technology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712-1062, USA.
authors.forename: Hsing-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Tuan
authors.forename: Doh C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Tobias
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hanrath
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Korgel