Growth and characterization of V-shaped IrO(2) nanowedges via metal-organic vapor deposition.

We report in detail the synthesis and characterization of V-shaped IrO(2) nanowedges (NWs) with an angle of 110° between the two arms. The NWs were grown on top of rutile (R) phase TiO(2) nanorods (NRs) sitting on a sapphire (SA)(100) substrate via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) by using (C(6)H(7))(C(8)H(12))Ir and titanium-tetraisopropoxide (TTIP, Ti[OCH(CH(3))(2)](4)) as the source reagents. The surface morphology, structural, and spectroscopic properties of the as-deposited nanocrystals (NCs) were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), micro-Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and selected-area electron diffractometry (SAED). The FESEM images and XRD patterns indicated growth of V-shaped IrO(2)(101) NWs on top of R-TiO(2) NRs. The Raman spectrum showed the nanosize induced redshift and peak broadening of the IrO(2) and rutile phase of TiO(2) signatures with respect to that of the bulk counterparts. TEM and SAED characterizations of IrO(2) NCs showed that the nanowedges were crystalline IrO(2) with a twin plane of (101) and twin direction of [Formula: see text] at the V-junction. The probable mechanisms for the formation of well-aligned IrO(2) NWs are discussed.