A γ-irradiation reduction route to nanocrystalline CdE (E=Se, Te) at room temperature

Nanocrystalline CdE (E=Se, Te) has been successfully synthesized by employing chalcogenites (Na2SeO3 and K2TeO3) as chalcogen sources via γ-irradiation route in the presence of ammonia at room temperature. In the procedures, SeO32− and TeO32− anions were gradually reduced to release Se2− and Te2− in the irradiation field, and then the reduced Se2− or Te2− was combined with Cd2+ ions to produce CdE. The final products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]