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

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 micro/nanostructures. 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.