Preparation of Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub> Nano-Powders via an Aqueous Chemical Method

Using NaBH4 as reductant, Bi2Te3 nano-powders with different morphology such as nano-rod and nano-sphere were synthesized from BiCl3 and Te through an aqueous chemical method at temperatures below 100°C. The nano-rods were 100~200nm in diameter and 10~12μm in length, the diameter of the nano-spheres is between 100 and 500nm. The phase purity of the powders was analyzed by XRD, micro morphology and chemical compositions were characterized by SEM and EPMA. The reaction mechanism was discussed.