Controlled hydrothermal synthesis of bismuth oxyhalide nanobelts and nanotubes

Ternary bismuth oxyhalide crystalline nanobelts (such as Bi24O31Br10, Bi3O4Br, Bi12O17Br2, BiOCl, and Bi24O31Cl10) and nanotubes (such as Bi24O31Br10) have been synthesized by using convenient hydrothermal methods. The composition and morphologies of the bismuth oxyhalides could be controlled by adjusting some growth parameters, including reaction pH, time, and temperature. All the nanostructures were characterized by using various methods including X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution TEM, electron diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. The possible reaction mechanism and growth of the crystals are discussed based on the experimental results.