Versatile methods were employed to investigate the chemical reactivity of hydrogenterminated surface of silicon nanowires. The experimental results showed that coupling reaction took place when silicon nanowires reacted with 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate, and reductive deposition reaction occurred in the presence of inorganic salt such as HgCl₂, and also co-reduction reaction took place in a solution containing both AuCl₃ and PdCl₂. The possible reaction mechanisms were studied and this study would be expected to favour the homogeneity, selectivity, reproducibility, and stability of SiNW devices or sensors.

The ionothermal synthesis and spectroscopic, thermal and structural characterization of two new compounds [Cu(C₄H₆N₂)₄]Br₂ (1) and [Ni(C₄H₆N₂)₄]Br₂ (2) [(C₄H₆N₂) = N-methylimidazole] are reported. In both 1 and 2, the central metal Cu (or Ni) ion adopts a square planar geometry and is bonded to the N-atoms of four terminal N-methylimidazole ligands.