Study on formation mechanism and ligand-directed architectural control of nanoparticles composed of Bi, Sb and Te: towards one-pot synthesis of ternary (Bi,Sb)2Te3 nanobuilding blocks

摘要: This paper reports a study on the formation mechanism of nanoparticles (NPs) composed bismuth, antimony and tellurium for thermoelectric materials using modified polyol synthetic route. Our one-pot synthesis technique has proven highly versatile in creating wide range different anisotropic NPs such as nanowires (NWs), nanodiscs (NDs), nanoribbons nanospines (NDs studded NWs) simply by modifying capping species or elemental precursor feeding ratio used synthesis. However, an independent control morphology composition is still hugely challenging facile (Bi,Sb)2Te3 solid solution not trivial task, reflecting complex nature this multicomponent system. To achieve goal, it imperative to understand based systematic investigation mono- binary NP systems. clearly shows actions oleylamine (OAM) decanethiol (DT) ligands our reaction. In case DT system, Te NDs are first formed, then, Bi Sb separately incorporated into ND structure viacatalytic decomposition Bi-DT Sb-DT complexes surfaces. Therefore, resulting phase segregated Te, Bi2Te3 Sb2Te3. On other hand, OAM NWs Bi-Sb formed separately, parts transformed via oriented attachment NWs. These findings crucially important towards uniform nanobuilding blocks with controllable characteristics efficient materials.