BI2S3 FLOWER-LIKE NANOSTRUCTURES COMPOSED OF NANOBELTS: SYNTHESIS, GROWTH PROCESS AND THERMOELECTRIC PROPERTIES

Bi2S3 flower-like nanostructures composed of single-crystalline nanobelts have been fabricated via a facile and low-cost hydrothermal approach. The structures and morphologies of the samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). On the basis of the effects of kinetic parameters such as the concentrations of reactant, time and reducing agent type on the morphologies of the resultant products, a stepwise growth process is rationally proposed including the initial formation of Bi nanospheres by aggregation of nuclei and the subsequent site-specific oriented growth of nanobelts. The as-obtained Bi2S3 flower-like nanostructures show enhanced electrical transport properties and power factor compared with other reports. This work also provides a facile and green strategy to fabricate 3D hierarchical nanostructures based on Bi2S3 nanobelts.