Semiconductor nanomaterials are of great interest for a wide variety of applications, particularly in integrated optics and electronics. Nanorods and nanowires composed of semiconducting materials are particularly interesting because of their potential applications in communications and optical technologies, including integrated light sources and sensor components. Previous synthetic strategies for semiconductors have required the use of hazardous reactants, elevated temperatures, and complex reaction conditions to produce limited materials. New synthetic approaches facilitate novel materials and applications.

In this work, we demonstrate a novel synthesis of templated semiconductor nanorods at a liquid:solid interface. In this system, a gas-permeable hydrophobic membrane serves as a substrate for the reaction of gaseous hydrogen sulfide with aqueous Cd⁺² ions to form CdS. By limiting the extent of the reaction to a nanoscale morphological template in the form of a nanopore membrane, we have successfully produced uniform CdS rods in sizes ranging from nano- to microscale. These materials have been characterized by electronic, optical, and spectroscopic techniques.

Ongoing efforts are to produce multifunctional nanorods comprising multiple semiconductor types, understand the mechanism of formation of these materials, and develop preliminary applications of significant impact.