Synthesis and characterization of hexagonal CuSe nanotubes by templating against trigonal Se nanotubes

A novel method has been developed for the preparation of crystalline nanotubes of copper selenide (CuSe). The method was based on template-directed synthesis in which the trigonal Se nanotubes were used as a template-directed reagent. Apart from CuSe nanotubes, one-direction (1D) nanocrystallites of Cu3Se2, Cu2-xSe, and Cu2Se were also obtained by changing the atom ratio of Cu and Se in the precursors. The products were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), laser Raman spectrography (LRS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). On the basis of a series of experiments and characterizations, the formation mechanism of the CuSe nanotubes is discussed.