Controllable synthesis and electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of Sb2Se3 ultralong nanobelts with urchin-like structures

Abstract

The controlled synthesis of one-dimensional and three-dimensional Sb₂Se₃ nanostructures has been achieved by a facile solvothermal process in the presence of citric acid. By simply controlling the concentration of citric acid, the nucleation, growth direction and exposed facet can be readily tuned, which brings the different morphologies and nanostructures to the final products. The as-prepared products have been characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM and selected area electron diffraction. Based on the electron microscope observations, a possible growth mechanism of Sb₂Se₃ with distinctive morphologies including ultralong nanobelts, hierarchical urchin-like nanostructures is proposed and discussed in detail. The electrochemical hydrogen storage measurements reveal that the morphology plays a key role on the hydrogen storage capacity of Sb₂Se₃ nanostructures. The Sb₂Se₃ ultralong nanobelts with high percentage of {−111} facets exhibit higher hydrogen storage capacity (228.5 mA h g⁻¹) and better cycle stability at room temperature.