Growth of Bi2Se3 nanobelts synthesized through a co-reduction method under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature

Bi2Se3 nanobelts 6-10 nm thick, 20-80 nm wide, and several micrometers long were synthesized by a co-reduction method under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and electron diffraction (ED) experiments were performed to characterize the nanobelts. The experimental results indicated that the nanobelts are single crystals with a preferential [001] growth direction. The co-reduction reaction was performed for different periods of time to understand the formation and growth mechanism of Bi2Se3 nanobelts. The growth of Bi2Se3 nanobelts is consistent with the solid-solution-solid mechanism. Bi2Se3 nanobelts are formed by dissolution and re-crystallization of nanoflakes in reactant solution under ultrasonic irradiation, and the nanoflakes form by the alloying of Bi and Se reduced from H2SeO3 and BiCl3 by (N2H4H2O)-H-..