| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1504301 | Solid State Sciences | 2014 | 5 Pages |
•The hierarchical assemblies of Si3N4 nanostructures were firstly fabricated.•The catalytic droplet size plays a critical role on the nanostructures growth.•A mechanism was proposed for the assembly of hierarchical Si3N4 nanostructures.
In the present work, for the first time, we report the growth of hierarchical assemblies of Si3N4 nanostructures via catalyst-assisted pyrolysis of a polymeric precursor on the Si substrates. The synthesized products were characterized by using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that the size of the catalytic droplet plays a critical role on the formation of hierarchical assemblies of Si3N4 nanostructures rather than common single nanowire. A mechanism based on the Vapor–Liquid–Solid (VLS) process was proposed for the assembly of hierarchical Si3N4 nanostructures.
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