Silver telluride nanotubes prepared by the hydrothermal method.

Silver telluride nanotubes have been prepared by the hydrothermal process without a template or a surfactant. The as-prepared sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and Raman spectra. The structural phase transition of the sample was observed. A rolling-up mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of the silver telluride nanotubes based on the inherent crystal structure of low-temperature beta-Ag2Te. Raman spectra analysis revealed an interesting Raman scattering enhancement phenomenon.