A study of the dispersions of metal oxide nanowires in polar solvents

Dispersions of the nanowires of Al2O3, ZnO and MgO in dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and acetonitrile have been studied by electron microscopy and PL spectroscopy, and by examining their sedimentation behavior. Stable nanowire dispersions were best obtained in DMF. The best PL spectra of the nanowires were also generally obtained with DMF dispersions.