An Easy Shortcut Synthesis of Size‐Controlled Bismuth Nanoparticles and Their Use in the SLS Growth of High‐Quality Colloidal Cadmium Selenide Quantum Wires

An easy shortcut synthesis of thermally stable, near-monodisperse Bi nanoparticles from BiCl(3) and Na[N(SiMe(3))(2)] is described. The diameters of the Bi nanoparticles are controlled in the range of 4-29 nm by varying the amounts of BiCl(3) and Na[N(SiMe(3))(2)] employed. Standard deviations in their diameter distributions are 5-15% of the mean diameters, consistent with near monodispersity. These Bi nanoparticles are shown to be the best currently available catalysts for the solution-liquid-solid (SLS) growth of high-quality CdSe quantum wires.