Novel synthesis of AlN nanowires with controlled diameters

A relatively low-cost, high-efficiency method is reported to synthesize AlN nanowires, using carbon nanotubes as templates. The AlN nanowires were fabricated at 1100 °C, for 60 min. The diameters of the product could be roughly controlled by the sizes of carbon nanotubes selected as starting materials. The AlN nanowires obtained were among the thinnest ever known. X-ray diffraction, selected-area diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, etc. were employed to characterize the products, which were found to be single crystals with some defects. The axes of the nanowires are normal to {1010} crystal planes. A new synthesis mechanism is proposed.