Large-scale synthesis of aluminium borate nanowires by a simple molten salt method

Aluminum borate nanowires were synthesized in a molten salt method at 1100°C in the air by using ammonium aluminum carbonate hydroxide (AACH) and H3BO3 as starting materials. The as-synthesized samples were examined by XRD and SEM. The results showed that Al18B4O33 nanowires with an orthorhombic structure were formed at 1100°C. A self-catalytic mechanism was proposed for the growth mechanism of the nanowires on the basis of the experimental phenomena.