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Abstract: Spinel cobalt oxide (Co3O4) nanowires grown on Ni foam are successfully synthesized using a novel microwave-assisted template-free method. The effect of reaction temperature, concentration of reactants, and reaction time on the morphology and crystalline structures of the prepared nanowires is studied. The present work has demonstrated that uniform Co3O4 nanowires with diameters of 500–580nm and lengths of 6–8μm can be synthesized under proper reaction condition. Moreover, the proposed microwave-assisted template-free method can significantly reduce reaction time, increase reaction efficiency, and provide better control over the geometry of the nanostructures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Anatase TiO2 nanotubes grown on Ni foam substrates were successfully synthesized by treating TiO2 nanocrystals coated on an Ni foam in alkaline solution using a facile microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The as-synthesized TiO2 nanotubes were characterized by SEM, TEM, and XRD. The effects of NaOH concentration, reaction time, hydrothermal temperature, and calcination temperature on the morphology, as well as crystal structure, of the nanotubes were investigated. TiO2 nanotubes synthesized under the optimal conditions were polycrystalline anatases with 4 to 5 multilayers, approximately 10nm wide, and several tens of nanometers long. The possible formation mechanism for TiO2 nanotubes was also discussed in the current paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]