Anchoring Hydroxyl Groups on Tin Oxide Nanowires

The nanowire functionalization process often takes place due to the need to have functional groups that enable or facilitate the chemical bonding between the inorganic material and the one intended for functionalization. In this study, we report two methods for anchoring hydroxyl groups: i) through nanowire growth using the vapor-solid (VS) approach, followed by treatment at various pH levels with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and ii) nanowires grown using the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method in the presence of water vapor. Structural characterization was conducted through various techniques, including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, Raman, and FTIR spectroscopy. Consequently, we observed the presence of OH groups on the material's surface that induced a variation in the material's bandgap when grown in the presence of water vapor. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction analysis revealed no significant alterations in the SnO₂ structure.