Issue 47, 2016

Structural modification and band-gap crossover in indium selenide nanosheets

Abstract

Herein, we report on the synthesis of InSe nanosheets. We further report on the interdependency of concentration and time on the evolution of the nanosheets as well as the role of the capping agents on the crystal phase and morphology of the resultant particles. Our results show that hexagonal-like InSe nanosheets were synthesized at different optimum times depending on the amount of indium precursor. Regardless of the amount of indium precursor used, the product remained unchanged, i.e. InSe. This was attributed to the nature of the oleylamine capping agent. Oleylamine is known to be a reducing agent and in this case resulted in the reduction of In3+ to In2− and elemental selenium to Se2−, thus always resulting in the formation of rhombohedral InSe nanosheets. A non-reducing 1-dodecanthiol co-surfactant was thus used. Dodecanthiol was thought to stabilize the In3+ ions by coordinating and forming a complex, thus preserving the 3+ oxidation state of indium, resulting in the formation of the final product of In2Se3 nanocrystals. The morphology of In2Se3 changed depending on the amount of oleylamine used. The optical properties of the InSe were further evidence that nanosheets had been synthesized due to the band gap crossover.

Graphical abstract: Structural modification and band-gap crossover in indium selenide nanosheets

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Jan 2016
Accepted
27 Mar 2016
First published
29 Mar 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 40777-40784

Author version available

Structural modification and band-gap crossover in indium selenide nanosheets

M. A. Airo, S. Gqoba, F. Otieno, M. J. Moloto and N. Moloto, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 40777 DOI: 10.1039/C6RA00262E

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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