Insights of Crystal Growth, Nucleation Density, and Shape Modulations in the Formation of I–V–VI Ternary Semiconductor Nanoplatelet Photoelectrocatalysts

Abstract

Ternary semiconductor nanocrystals remained one of the leading electronic nanomaterials for optoelectronics, catalysis, and photovoltaic applications. Among these, while the chemistry of formation of group I–III–VI nanocrystals was extensively studied, group I–V–VI nanostructures were less explored. Considering Cu3BiS3 ternary nanostructures as a case study, herein, the insight mechanism of formation of exclusive ternary platelets, their nucleation density-controlled length and shape tunability, and the dissolution process of initially formed copper sulfides for providing monomers during growth are studied and reported. These are performed by controlling reactions with tuning the compositions of precursors, varying the solvent volume, and also tuning the reaction temperature. The active monomer-driven shape modulations in 2D platelets, which are unique in ternary materials, were correlated with controlled directional growths of these nanostructures. Finally, these were also explored as catalysts for photoelectrochemical water reduction and performances were related to the copper-deficient nanostructures.