Morphology-controlled synthesis of Bi2S3 microstructures

A series of Bi2S3 microstructures, including crepe paper flower-like structures, multibranched nanobelts, actinomorphic-flower-like 2-D assembled nanowire arrays, straw-tied-like nanowire arrays, and nanowires have been synthesized through facile decomposition of the as-formed bismuth diethyldithiocarbamate (Bi-DDTC) single-source precursor in its precursor solution. The morphologies and concentration and site of structure defects of the Bi2S3 microstructures can be controlled by manipulating the concentration of Bi/DDTC and the reaction time. Possible growth mechanisms involving defect effects, oriented attachment and folding-splitting-attaching growth were proposed, which were responsible for morphology and structure evolution of various Bi2S3 microstructures.