Controlled Synthesis of Abundantly Branched, Hierarchical Nanotrees by Electron Irradiation of Polymers

Hierarchical silicon oxycarbide tree-like nanostructures, which consist of trunks and abundant branches, have been fabricated by electron irradiation of organosilicon polymers. The nanotree structures have two different morphologies, cluster-assembled and nanowire-assembled. The morphology of the nanotrees can be controlled by the irradiation parameters. The proposed approach promises a straightforward means to fabricate complex hierarchical organic–inorganic nanostructures.