An easy shortcut synthesis of size-controlled bismuth nanoparticles and their use in the SLS growth of high-quality colloidal cadmium selenide quantum wires.

An easy shortcut synthesis of thermally stable, near-monodisperse Bi nanoparticles from BiCl(3) and Na[N(SiMe(3))(2)] is described. The diameters of the Bi nanoparticles are controlled in the range of 4-29 nm by varying the amounts of BiCl(3) and Na[N(SiMe(3))(2)] employed. Standard deviations in their diameter distributions are 5-15% of the mean diameters, consistent with near monodispersity. These Bi nanoparticles are shown to be the best currently available catalysts for the solution-liquid-solid (SLS) growth of high-quality CdSe quantum wires.