Controllable growth of vertical ReS2 nanosheets and nanorods by vapor transport method

As an emerging two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide, rhenium disulfide (ReS2) has been attracting more and more attention for its unique properties and great potential in the design of the electronic and optoelectronic devices. Here, for the first time, large-size ReS2 nanosheets with area of over 35 μm × 20 μm were successfully synthesized via vapor transport (VT) method. Moreover, the growth of ReS2 nanosheets via VT method was demonstrated to be effective on Si, SiO2, and Au substrate, which would further expand the application of ReS2 during the design of devices on different substrates. Besides, the effect of Ar gas flow on the growth of ReS2 nanosheets was systematically investigated. Furthermore, it is the first time the 1D ReS2 nanorods have been synthesized using the VT method. Based on the experiment results, the growth mechanism of ReS2 nanosheets and nanorods was proposed. It is believed that the research may pave a way for the growth of large-size ReS2 nanosheets and the wider application of ReS2 nanostructures.