Synthesis and Characterization of Nanocrystalline Bismuth Telluride

Abstract

We report the first synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline Bi2Te3 with particle sizes less than 10 nm. The reaction of BiOClO4·xH2O with (Me3Si)2Te in a reverse micelle formed by sodium dioctylsulfosuccinate and water in hexane has produced good yields (71%) of a black powder that has been characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy.