Colloidal 2D–0D Lateral Nanoheterostructures: A Case Study of Site-Selective Growth of CdS Nanodots onto Bi₂Se₃ Nanosheets

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) nanoheterostructure (2D NHS) with nanoparticles grown on 2D nanomaterial substrates could potentially enable many novel functionalities. Controlled site-selective growth of nanoparticles on either the lateral or the basal directions of 2D nanomaterial substrates is desirable but extremely challenging. Herein, we demonstrate the rational control of lateral- and basal-selective attachment of CdS nanoparticles onto 2D Bi2Se3 nanosheets through solution phase reactions. The combination of experimental and theoretical efforts elucidate that site-relevant interfacial bonding and kinetic control of molecular precursors play vital roles for site selectivity. Furthermore, the electronic structures revealed from density functional theory calculations explain the superior performance of the lateral 2D NHSs compared to their basal counterpart in prototype photoelectrochemical cells. The present study will inspire the construction of other site-selective 2D NHSs with well-defined structure and unique properties.

Self‐Assembled Heterostructures: Selective Growth of Metallic Nanoparticles on V2–VI3 Nanoplates

“…Moreover, three Sb 2 Te 3 (100) surfaces were modeled, including the Sb–Te atom terminated “A‐step” (terminology introduced by Liu et al), the Te atom terminated “B‐step” and the Te atom terminated “adjusted A‐step,” as shown in Figure . The “Adjusted A‐step” is similar to the Bi 2 Se 3 (104) surface described by Xu et al The slab thickness was roughly 20 Å (depending on the steps) and the vacuum space is also 15 Å. Here, the slab thickness and the vacuum space are tested carefully so that the surface energies converge to 10 −4 eV Å −2 .…”

“…Unfortunately, this approach is undesirable for scalable production due to the high cost and complex technical challenges. The recent availability of simple and eco‐friendly solution‐processable approaches allows for mass production of heterojunctions. For instance, Ho and co‐workers developed an electroless galvanic deposition method to construct a 3D interlaced heterostructure comprised of 2D Ag nanoplates sandwiched between ZnO nanorods .…”

Atomically Thin Mesoporous In2O3–x/In2S3 Lateral Heterostructures Enabling Robust Broadband‐Light Photo‐Electrochemical Water Splitting

“…[10] A Co-doped In 2 S 3 nanosheet photoelectrode generated a much enhanced photocurrent of 1.17 mA cm −2 at 1.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] However, the synthesis of such materials is challenging due to the complex and unamiable interfacial bonding. To resolve this issue, lateral or vertical heterostructures, such as MoSe 2 / MoS 2 , WSe 2 /WS 2 , MoSe 2 /WSe 2 , WS 2 /MoS 2 , WSe 2 /MoS 2 , CdS/ Bi 2 Se 3 , and WS 2 /WO 3 ·H 2 O by integrating atomically thin 2D materials, would enable band engineering within the 2D plane and possess important advantages over those conventional host materials.…”

Atomic‐Level and Modulated Interfaces of Photocatalyst Heterostructure Constructed by External Defect‐Induced Strategy: A Critical Review

“…Wang and co‐workers prepared the point interfaces with selective lateral attachments by the controlled growth of 0D CdS nanoparticles on the edges of 2D Bi 2 Se 3 nanosheets. [ 41 ] The obtained point interface on lateral heterostructures possessed unique electronic structures and excellent photoelectric conversion characteristics. This study inspired the design of site‐selective heterostructures with well‐defined interfacial structures and unique interfacial properties.…”