Solvothermal synthesis 2D ultrathin CdSe nanosheets and its photoelectrochemical properties

This work synthesized ultrathin 2D CdSe nanosheets by a facile solvothermal method. The morphology, structure, composition, and thermal stability of the samples were studied and analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectra (IR), and thermogravimetric (TG) methods. Results demonstrated that stable wurtzite-structured CdSe nanosheets with 2-3 nm thickness were successfully fabricated. UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis) and fluorescence spectroscopy analysis exhibited the characteristic absorption peaks and fluorescence emission peaks of CdSe nanosheets with narrow full-width half-maximums (fwhm) and slight Stokes shift, implying ultrathin structure. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) measurement declared a fast and stable photo-response for the as-prepared CdSe ultrathin nanosheets. With the reaction temperature increasing, the PEC activity enhanced due to the decreased nanosheets thickness. This paper provides a new route for the synthesis of CdSe ultrathin nanosheets and their application in the field of photoelectrochemical catalysis.