Multisegmented Se-Te-Se hybrid nanowires: A building unit with inbuilt block and glue functionality

A novel hybrid nanomaterial incorporating Te and Se components within a multisegmented nanowire morphology is synthesized through a facile aqueous phase reaction at room temperature. Te nanowires were used as templates to grow Se segments at their terminal locations. The Se-Te-Se structures obtained exhibit a self-organization property thereby enabling the formation of "nanotweezers" at elevated temperatures. The physical and chemical properties of its individual components are expected to provide interesting functionality and promising utility to these nanostructures. The inbuilt block and glue features associated with its components make it a potential building unit toward nanoarchitectures of higher sophistication.