Synthesis, growth mechanism, and work function at highly oriented {001} surfaces of bismuth sulfide microbelts

摘要

We demonstrate in this communication a facile hydrothermal route to fabricate Bi2S3 microbelts in large scale with unique highly oriented {001} surfaces. The growth mechanism follows two-stage crystallization with initial bubble- template growth and a subsequent anisotropic growth process, which is obviously different from previous reports for fabricating 1D microanostructures. Because the work function is an important parameter for the surface and applied to the investigation of many surface phenomena, the work function of Bi2S3 at the highly oriented {001} surfaces is calculated using a density functional theory based on the planewave method, implemented in the Vienna ab initio simulation package. The high work function of 4.93 eV at the highly oriented {001} surfaces of Bi2S3 microbelts contributes to the potential application for anode materials and understanding the field-emission characteristics and photoelectrochemical behaviors.