A facile arrested precipitation method for synthesis of pure wurtzite Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanocrystals using thiourea as a sulfur source

Journal Article · Thu Nov 15 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2012.08.014· OSTI ID:22215553

Li, Chunya ^[1]; Ha, Enna; Wong, Wing-Leung ^[1]; Li, Cuiling ^[2]; Ho, Kam-Piu ^[1]; Wong, Kwok-Yin ^[1]

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1. Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong)
2. Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074 (China)

Graphical abstract: High-resolution TEM image of wurtzite Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanocrystals. Highlights: ► Wurtzite Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} nanocrystals were synthesized by arrested precipitation method. ► XRD, EDX, TEM demonstrate that the CZTS nanocrystals are purely wurtzite structure. ► The average diameter of the bulk CZTS products is found to be 10 ± 1.1 nm. ► The estimated direct bandgap energy is 1.56 eV for wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals. ► The electrical resistivity of the wurtzite CZTS nanocrystals is low. -- Abstract: A facile route for the synthesis of wurtzite Cu{sub 2}ZnSnS{sub 4} (CZTS) nanocrystals was developed by an arrested precipitation method at 240 °C under simple reaction conditions with diethanolamine as the solvent and thiourea as sulfur source. The structure and morphology of the CZTS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Control experiments demonstrated that CZTS nanocrystals which are purely wurtzite structure are readily obtained. The average diameter of the bulk CZTS products is found to be 10 ± 1.1 nm. The estimated direct bandgap energy is 1.56 eV, which indicates that the CZTS nanocrystals produced by this method possess promising applications in photovoltaic devices.

• OSTI ID: 22215553
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Journal Name: Materials Research Bulletin Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 47; ISSN MRBUAC; ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
PRECIPITATION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SPECTROSCOPY
SULFUR
SYNTHESIS
THIOUREA
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION