Dry autoclaving for the nanofabrication of sulfides, selenides, borides, phosphides, nitrides, carbides, and oxides

This review compiles various nanostructures fabricated by a distinct "dry autoclaving" approach, where the chemical reactions are carried out without solvents; above the dissociation temperature of the chemical precursor(s) at elevated temperature in a closed reactor. The diversity to fabricate carbides (SiC, Mo₂C, WC), oxides (VOx-C, ZnO, Eu ₂O₃, Fe₃O₄, MoO₂), hexaborides (LaB₆, CeB₆, NdB₆, SmB₆, EuB₆, GdB₆), nitrides (TiN, NbN, TaN), phosphides (PtP₂, WP), sulfides (ZnS, FeS/C, SnS/C, WS₂, WS ₂/C), and selenides (Zn_1-xMn_xSe/C, Cd _1-xMn_xSe/C), with various shapes and sizes is accounted with plausible applications. This unique single-step, solvent-free synthetic process opens up a new route in the growing nanomaterials science; owing to its considerable advantages on the existing approaches. A distinct "dry autoclaving" approach is demonstrated with numerous advantages to fabricate various carbides, nitrides, phosphides, hexaborides, sulfides and selenides with diverse shapes and sizes. Dry autogenic reactions are carried out without solvents in a closed reactor above the dissociation temperature of the chemical precursor(s) at elevated temperature.