High yield preparation of single crystalline Cd metal nanotubes by non-catalytic thermal decomposition route

Large scale metallic cadmium (Cd) nanotubes with high purity have been obtained on glass substrate by catalyst-free thermal decomposition of cadmium oxide (CdO) powder at 1200 °C for 120 min using argon (Ar) gas as carrier agent inside an alumina tube mounted in horizontal tube furnace. The structural, compositional and morphological characterizations of cadmium nanotubes (CdNTs) were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The CdNTs were observed to be single crystalline with 60–70 nm diameter and tens of micrometre length. Based on vapour–solid (VS) and rolling layer mechanisms, growth process has been proposed for the formation of CdNTs. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectrum for CdNTs recorded under xenon light wavelength of 325 nm exhibited a very prominent emission band at 383 nm which may be ascribed to either surface oxidation effects or radiative recombination of electrons in the s, p conduction band near the Fermi surface and the holes in the d bands generated by xenon light excitation. This shows the promise of CdNTs for applications in UV-light emitting devices.

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► Cadmium nanotubes (CdNTs) with 60–70 nm diameter are prepared by thermal decomposition of CdO.
► Vapour solid process and rolling sheet mechanism based growth model governs the formation of CdNTs.
► Room temperature PL spectrum of CdNTs exhibited emission band at 383 nm.