Synthesis of Vanadium Dioxide Nanowires with Varying Acid and Vanadium Sources

As many materials are being synthesized with dimensions reaching below 100-nanometers, new and interesting characteristics are being observed. It is also a concern to understand how different synthetic conditions affect the morphology of these materials. The metastable monoclinic phase of vanadium dioxide (VO2) has various interesting electrical characteristics, and it has been observed that 1D nanostructures of this material display stronger abilities of charge transport than that of the bulk crystalline structures. Using hydrothermal technique, vanadium dioxide nanowires can be synthesized. By varying volume, organic carboxylic acids, and vanadium sources, we hope to find ways to manipulate different morphologies of these nanowires and identify their effects on the material characteristics. After verifying the material using X-ray diffraction methods and identifying the morphology with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), we can begin to study the properties of this material such as conductivity. This research will hopefully aid in the advancement of nanodevice technologies.