Synthetic efforts and applications of metal selenide nanotubes

Abstract

Properties of metal selenides are dependent on their band gaps which can be tuned with size and morphology. Nanotubes particularly are important for their enhanced surface area and reaction sites. Extensive experimental effort has been made over the years on the synthesis of metal selenides nanotubes using templates and without templates. This review article deals with the synthesis of metal selenide nanotubes via chemical methods, hydrothermal methods, solid state reactions, electrochemical methods and UV-irradiation. Applications of metal selenide nanotubes in solar cells, supercapacitors, batteries and water splitting have been discussed and compared with other selenide materials and morphologies.