Hydrothermal Synthesis of Nanostructures

The hydrothermal method for nanostructure synthesis is of considerable interest for practical applications since it is a low cost, environmentally friendly technique which can be used on large area and/or flexible substrates, as well as fabrication of free standing nanostructures. The low substrate temperature enables compatibility with temperature sensitive substrates such as plastics or textiles, while fabrication of aligned nanorods on substrates is possible with substrate pretreatment to control the nucleation. Up to date, hydrothermal synthesis of a number of different materials has been demonstrated. In this review, we will provide an overview of the relevant issues concerning hydrothermal synthesis of different nanostructured materials.