Facile sonochemical synthesis of tellurium and tellurium dioxide nanoparticles: Reducing Te(IV) to Te via ultrasonic irradiation in methanol

Fatemeh Arab; Mehdi Mousavi-Kamazani; Masoud Salavati-Niasari

doi:10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.01.026

Facile sonochemical synthesis of tellurium and tellurium dioxide nanoparticles: Reducing Te(IV) to Te via ultrasonic irradiation in methanol

Ultrason Sonochem. 2017 Jul:37:335-343. doi: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.01.026. Epub 2017 Jan 20.

Authors

Fatemeh Arab¹, Mehdi Mousavi-Kamazani², Masoud Salavati-Niasari³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, P.O. Box. 87317-51167, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran.
² Young Researchers and Elites Club, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Islamic Republic of Iran.
³ Institute of Nano Science and Nano Technology, University of Kashan, P.O. Box. 87317-51167, Kashan, Islamic Republic of Iran. Electronic address: salavati@kashanu.ac.ir.

PMID: 28427641
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.01.026

Abstract

In this study, tellurium (Te) nanostructures were synthesized via a facile sonochemical method by reducing TeCl₄ to Te under ultrasonic irradiation in methanol. Moreover, by carrying out the reaction in an alkaline environment TeO₂ nanoparticles were produced. According to our knowledge, it is the first time that without secondary reducing agent Te⁴⁺ are reduced to Te. Also, the effects of ultrasonic power, irradiation time, solvent, and surfactant on the morphology and particle size of Te nanostructures were investigated. The obtained products were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDS, FT-IR and DRS.

Keywords: Electron microscopy; Nanostructures; Semiconductors; Sonochemical method; Tellurium; Tellurium dioxide.