Abnormal Growth of Electrodeposited BiSb Alloy Nanotubes

BiSb alloy nanotube−nanowire array has been fabricated by the pulsed electrodeposition technique. It was found that the growth of the polycrystalline nanotubes is terminated by polycrystalline nanowires abruptly and then follows by single crystalline nanowires. The formation mechanism of the nanotubes and the origin of the transition from a polycrystalline nanotube to a polycrystalline nanowire were analyzed and discussed from the perspective of the crystal growth theory. The deep understanding of the transition is of high importance for the controlled synthesis and application in thermoelectric field of Bi-based nanotubes arrays.