Facile fabrication of porous CuS nanotubes using well-aligned [Cu(tu)]Cl·1/2H₂O nanowire precursors as self-sacrificial templates

We have demonstrated for the first time an extremely facile procedure for the preparation of porous CuS nanotubes with good morphological and high chemical purity using [Cu(tu)]Cl-1/2H₂O nanowire precursors as self-sacrificial templates at room temperature (thiourea = tu). Well-organized [Cu(tu)]Cl. 1/2H₂O nanowires with good morphological and high chemical purities were prepared by directly mixing an aqueous solution of CuCl₂ with thiourea at room temperature. Well-aligned [Cu(tu)]Cl. 1/2H₂O nano wires were self-assembled into dandelion- or thornlike architectures depending on the initial concentrations of thiourea and CUCI ₂. The influence of the architectures of the nanowire precursors on the morphology of the CuS nanotubes product is discussed. The successful fabrication of nanoarchitectures from nanowires via self-sacrificial templates provides an efficient strategy for controllable preparation of hollow nanostructures.