Synthesis and Applications of One-Dimensional Porous Nanowire Arrays: A Review

Abstract

In recent years, particular attention has been drawn to one-dimensional (1D) porous nanowires due to their high surface-to-volume ratios as well as the as-revealed excellent performance in varieties of applications. This review begins with a wide introduction to the as-reported various preparation methods for the typical 1D porous nanowires mainly consisting of template-free method (i.e., chemical etching, chemical vapor deposition, hydrothermal, electrospinning, gas-solid reaction, etc.) and template-assisted method (i.e., using hard template and soft template, respectively). Based on the classification of design and preparation strategies, the as-evolved various nonmetallic and metallic 1D nanoporous materials with varied microstructural features have been highlighted, followed by the corresponding description and discussion on their typical applications in catalysis, sensors, rechargeable batteries, solar cells, super-capacitors, water treatment, random lasers and so forth.