Bismuth-based ternary compounds have attracted much attention owing to their various merits, such as low toxicity and tunable electrical and optical properties. However, these compounds are yet to be understood due to the lack of suitable targets limited by immature synthesis techniques. In this work, we aimed at the synthesis, properties investigation, and photodetection application of Bi13S18I2. Mist chemical vapor deposition was adopted for the deposition of the Bi13S18I2 thin film for the first time. The deposition mechanism was discussed from the perspective of crystal phase and surface morphology. Based on the Bi13S18I2 thin film synthesized at optimal temperature, we constructed a photoelectrochemical-type photodetector. The photodetection performance was evaluated from the points of electrolyte composition, working temperature, and bias voltage. This study would pave the way for the controllable synthesis and applications of bismuth-based ternary compounds.
A novel Bi13S18I2 structure was synthesized using a facile one-pot hydrothermal method and further optimized as an anode material using graphene. The graphene/Bi13S18I2 composite achieved a high discharge capacity with an initial value of 1126.5 mA h g−1 and a high and stable discharge capacity of 287.1 mA h g−1 after 500 cycles compared with pure Bi13S18I2, which derives from the inhibited volume expansion and high electrical conductivity obtained from graphene. In situ XRD was performed to analyze the Li storage mechanism in depth. The results support the feasibility of the new ternary sulfide Bi13S18I2 as a promising lithium ion battery.