Controlled synthesis of GeSe2 and GeSe nanostructures induced by TBAB

Ge-based selenides have attracted extensive attention as promising candidates for future optoelectronic applications. Despite great progress has been achieved, the controlled synthesis of GeSe 2 and GeSe nanostructures and understanding the relative growth mechanisms of them are still lacking. Herein, monodispersed GeSe 2 nanoflowers with a diameter of ~ 4 μm and highly uniform GeSe nanoparticles with a lateral size of ~ 100 nm are presented by using a colloidal synthetic method. It is found that borane tert-butylamine complex (TBAB) plays an important role in determining the Ge–Se crystal phases due to its moderately reducibility. Furthermore, the coexistence of GeSe 2 and GeSe phases can also be acquired by precisely controlling the amount of TBAB. In brief, this work provides both new insights of the phase control of Ge-based selenides by liquid-phase method and a practical means of producing well-controlled germanium selenide nanostructures. Graphical abstract