Preparation of Aligned Ultra-long and Diameter-controlled Silicon Oxide Nanotubes by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Using Electrospun PVP Nanofiber Template

Nanoscale Res Lett. 2009 Nov 19;5(2):279-85. doi: 10.1007/s11671-009-9476-6.

Abstract

Well-aligned and suspended polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers with 8 mm in length were obtained by electrospinning. Using the aligned suspended PVP nanofibers array as template, aligned ultra-long silicon oxide (SiOx) nanotubes with very high aspect ratios have been prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process. The inner diameter (20-200 nm) and wall thickness (12-90 nm) of tubes were controlled, respectively, by baking the electrospun nanofibers and by coating time without sacrificing the orientation degree and the length of arrays. The micro-PL spectrum of SiOx nanotubes shows a strong blue-green emission with a peak at about 514 nm accompanied by two shoulders around 415 and 624 nm. The blue-green emission is caused by the defects in the nanotubes.