A Rational Self‐Sacrificing Template Route to β‐Bi2O3 Nanotube Arrays

Arrayed β‐Bi2O3 nanotubes (NTs) were synthesized for the first time through a rational “self‐sacrificing template” route, simply by oxidizing the precursor metallic bismuth NT arrays in air at 200−220 °C for 14−18 h. XRD, TEM, and HRTEM characterizations show that the prepared β‐Bi2O3 samples are all phase pure and the β‐Bi2O3 NTs have uniform diameters of approximately 3−6 nm and lengths up to several micrometers. The optical absorption and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics of the prepared samples were investigated. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)