Deposition of hierarchical Cd(OH)2 anisotropic nanostructures at the water-toluene interface and their use as sacrificial templates for CdO or CdS nanostructures.

Hierarchical anisotropic structures ranging from triangular 'platelets' to nanofibres of Cd(OH)2 are synthesized at a water-toluene interface; the nanowires are used as sacrificial templates to produce CdO wires and CdS nanostructures, preserving many structural aspects.