Hydrothermal synthesis, characterization, and magnetic properties of cubic MnSe2/Se nanocomposites material

The cubic MnSe2/Se nanocomposites were produced under hydrothermal condition, by reduction of SeCl4 to Se and Se2-, and reaction of the reduced selenium with Mn2+ ion during the next step, in the presence of different surfactants using hydrazine as reductant. The main factors affecting the morphology, the particle size and the phase of the products, such as surfactant, reductant and its amount, reaction temperature and time were studied. The pure Se or a mixture of Se and MnSe2 nanorods were obtained in the presence of different surfactants and small amounts of hydrazine. The cubic MnSe2/Se nanocomposites were formed at 120 degrees C for 12 h or longer periods of time, in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and large amounts of hydrazine. The size of the as-prepared cubes decreases with increasing the reaction time. With increasing temperature of reaction from 120 degrees C to 180 degrees C, the morphology of the products changes from cubes to the mixture of nanorods and nanoparticles. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.