The growth of pine-leaf-like hierarchical SnO sub(2) nanostructures

Pine-leaf-like SnO sub(2) hierarchical nanostructures (NSs) were grown by a two-step vapour transport deposition process with a combination of vapour-solid and vapour-liquid-solid mechanisms at the primary and secondary processes, respectively. This type of hierarchical structure consisted of SnO sub(2) trunk with homo-branching nanowires (NWs). The branched NWs connected the trunk NWs at included angles of 56 degree and 90 degree for two different types of hierarchical NSs. Based on the thermodynamic calculation, the formation of branched NWs at those angles are all energetically favourable.