Solution-Based Synthesis of Layered Intergrowth Compounds of the Homologous Pbm Bi2n Te3n+m Series as Nanosheets.

Layered intergrowth compounds in the homologous PbmBi2nTe3n+m family are interesting because they are examples of natural heterostructures. We present a simple solution-based synthesis of two-dimensional nanosheets of PbBi2Te4, Pb2Bi2Te5, and PbBi6Te10 layered intergrowth compounds, which are members of the PbmBi2nTe3n+m [that is, (PbTe)(m)(Bi2Te3)(n)] homologous series. Few-layer nanosheets exhibit narrow optical band gaps (0.25-0.7 eV) with semiconducting electronic-transport properties.