One-Dimensional Metal Oxide Nanotubes, Nanowires, Nanoribbons, and Nanorods: Synthesis, Characterizations, Properties and Applications

Abstract

One dimensional nanomaterials have attracted much attention from academia and industry. A large series of devices have been created on the basis of 1D nanomaterials. Their applications have changed and will continuously change our daily life. In this paper, we will present a comprehensive review on the synthesis, structure characterization, properties and actual and future potential applications of one dimensional nanomaterials. Due to the large number of review papers on Carbon and ZnO nanomaterials, we will focus only on one dimensional nanostructures based on other important metal oxides than ZnO based 1D nanomaterials. Different general synthesis strategies have firstly been presented. A series of very promising and representative 1D metal oxide nanaomaterials, their synthesis and properties, will then be discussed. The applications of these 1D metal oxide nanomaterials in catalysis, photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, in sensors development, in solar cells, in field effect transistor development, in Lithium batteries and in bio-based applications will be detailed.

Keywords:

• metal oxides
• nanotubes
• nanowires
• nanoribbons
• nanorods
• synthesis
• properties
• applications

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The present work was created through an Interuniversity Attraction Poles Program (Inanomat-P6/17)-Belgian State-Belgian Science Policy and the project “Redugaz”, financially supported by the European community and the Wallon government in the frame of Interreg IV (France-Wallonie). B. L. Su acknowledges the Chinese Central Government for an “Expert of the State” position in the program of “Thousand talents” and the Chinese Ministry of Education for a Changjiang Scholar position at the Wuhan University of Technology. This work is also financially supported by self-determined and innovative research funds of SKLWUT (2011-PY-2 and 2011-PY-3). The authors would like to thank Mr. Huang Shaozhuan, Mr. Jin Jun, Mr. Wang Chao, Mr. Wang Li, and Mr. Lu Yi for reference compilation and corrections.