Transformation of ZnO nanobelts into single-crystalline Mn3O4 nanowires.

Single-crystalline Mn(3)O(4) nanowires were prepared using the vapor-phase transformation of ZnO nanobelts. Mn(3)O(4)-decorated ZnO nanobelts and ZnO-ZnMn(2)O(4) core-shell nanocables (NCs) were also obtained as reaction intermediates. Heteroepitaxial growth of tetragonal spinel Mn(3)O(4) (or ZnMn(2)O(4)) on wurtzite ZnO is a possible reason for the growth of single-crystalline Mn(3)O(4) nanowires. Growth interfaces are possibly formed between the wurtzite (101[overline]0)/(21[overline]1[overline]0) and spinel (1[overline]01)/(4[overline]11) planes. Various one-dimensional homonanostructures and heteronanostructures consisting of n-ZnO, p-Mn(3)O(4), and p-ZnMn(2)O(4) can be used to design high-performance gas sensors.