Chemical sealing of nanotubes: a case study on Sb2S3.

Implementing the solution chemistry, herein, we report the sealing of both ends of Sb2 S3 semiconductor nanotubes following the diffusion-controlled deposition of the sealing material, AgSbS2 . As a consequence, unique dumbbell-shaped hollow nanocapsules having a binary-ternary epitaxial heterojunction were formed in solution. Whereas these capsule-shaped nanostructures were obtained by the introduction of Ag(0) nanocrystals just after the formation of Sb2 S3 nanotubes, the addition of Ag(0) at the beginning of the process, prior to the formation of nanotubes, changed the growth pattern, and solid nanorods of Sb2 S3 were formed. The details of the chemistry involved in the formation of these nanostructures were investigated and are discussed herein.