Formation of pseudomorphic nanocages from Cu 2 O nanocrystals through anion exchange reactions

Creating semiconductor nanocages The surface area of nanomaterials can be increased by creating open cage structures. Now it seems that the shape of nanocrystals can be used as a tool to manipulate crystal structure in nanocrystals. Wu et al. show how single nanocrystals of copper oxide are converted through anion exchange reactions to multiply twinned open cages of a copper sulfide in a process that changes the crystal lattice symmetries. These structures were then converted into cadmium sulfide nanocages through cation exchange. Science , this issue p. 1306