Self-assembly of nanoparticles to form tree-like tellurium nanostructures using novel starting reagents

• Tree-like Te nanostructures were synthesized via a novel and rapid thermal procedure.
• TGA acts as both reducing and stabilizer agent for production of nanoparticles.
• No secondary chemical reducing agent is required to proceed and complete the reaction.
• A preliminary study on the possibility of developing a solar cell having FTO/TiO2/Te/Pt–FTO.

A new rapid and single step thermal method was successfully developed to synthesize tree-like tellurium (Te) nanostructures at mild condition. Te nanostructures were synthesized using tellurium tetrachloride (TeCl4) as a Te precursor and thioglycolic acid (TGA) as reducing and caping agent. No secondary chemical reducing agent is required to proceed and complete the reaction. A preliminary study on the possibility of developing a solar cell having the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)/TiO2/Te/Pt–FTO structure was also investigated to produce an inexpensive solar cell by Te nanostructures.