Electrochemical synthesis of CdTe/SWNT hybrid nanostructures and their tunable electrical and optoelectrical properties

Nanoscale. 2013 Feb 21;5(4):1616-23. doi: 10.1039/c2nr33029f.

Abstract

A facile electrodeposition technique was utilized to deposit single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with cadmium telluride (CdTe) with well-controlled size, density, surface morphology, and composition. By controlling the applied charge, the morphology of these hybrid nanostructures was altered from CdTe nanoparticles on SWNTs to SWNT/CdTe core/shell nanostructures and the composition of the CdTe nanoparticles was altered from Te-rich (29 at% Cd) to Cd-rich (79 at% Cd) CdTe by adjusting the deposition potential. The electrical and optoelectrical properties of these hybrid nanostructures showed that photo-induced current can be tuned by tailoring the conductivity type (n-type or p-type), morphology, and size of the CdTe nanostructures, with a maximum photosensitivity (ΔI/I(0)) of about 30% for SWNT/Cd-rich CdTe (n-type) core/shell nanostructures. This work demonstrates a novel approach for synthesizing metal chalcogenide/SWNT hybrid nanostructures for various electrical and optoelectrical applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cadmium Compounds / chemistry*
  • Cadmium Compounds / radiation effects
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electromagnetic Fields
  • Electroplating
  • Light
  • Materials Testing
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / radiation effects*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / ultrastructure
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Refractometry / methods
  • Tellurium / chemistry*
  • Tellurium / radiation effects

Substances

  • Cadmium Compounds
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Tellurium
  • cadmium telluride