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Title: A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles

Abstract

Iron germanium sulfide (Fe2GeS4) recently emerged as a potential thin film solar photovoltaic absorber. The introduction of the third element—germanium (Ge)—viewed as a solution for overcoming multiple barriers of a photovoltaic pyrite, confers stability to Fe2GeS4 at elevated temperatures, typically required for accomplishing grain growth in Gen 2 thin film PV. A facile synthesis of Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles from molecular precursors, comprising mechanical mixing of starting materials followed by a two-hour annealing in a sulfur-rich atmosphere is presented herein. Further processing of the resulting Fe2GeS4 nanopowders at elevated temperatures demonstrates high thermal stability of Fe2GeS4 (up to 500 °C), in comparison with pyrite, which shows onset of pyrrhotite upon heating above 160 °C. Based on the secondary crystalline phases formed, here we propose a mechanism of decomposition of Fe2GeS4 at high temperatures. Films fabricated with Fe2GeS4 were further annealed and revealed that Fe2GeS4 withstands high temperatures in thin film.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Delaware State University, Dover, DE (United States)
  2. Delaware State University, Dover, DE (United States); Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ (United States)
  3. Delaware State University, Dover, DE (United States); University of Delaware, Newark, DE (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Delaware State University, Dover, DE (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); National Science Foundation (NSF)
OSTI Identifier:
1538572
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1548463
Grant/Contract Number:  
EE0006322; 1435716; 1535876; 1719379
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Materials Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 223; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0167-577X
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; nanoparticles; colloidal processing; solar energy materials; electronic materials; Fe2Ge2S4

Citation Formats

Hwang, Po-Yu, Berg, Dominik M., Liu, Mimi, Lai, Cheng-Yu, and Radu, Daniela R. A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020.
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Hwang, Po-Yu, Berg, Dominik M., Liu, Mimi, Lai, Cheng-Yu, & Radu, Daniela R. A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020
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Hwang, Po-Yu, Berg, Dominik M., Liu, Mimi, Lai, Cheng-Yu, and Radu, Daniela R. Thu . "A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1538572.
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@article{osti_1538572,
title = {A rapid molecular precursor solid-state route to crystalline Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles},
author = {Hwang, Po-Yu and Berg, Dominik M. and Liu, Mimi and Lai, Cheng-Yu and Radu, Daniela R.},
abstractNote = {Iron germanium sulfide (Fe2GeS4) recently emerged as a potential thin film solar photovoltaic absorber. The introduction of the third element—germanium (Ge)—viewed as a solution for overcoming multiple barriers of a photovoltaic pyrite, confers stability to Fe2GeS4 at elevated temperatures, typically required for accomplishing grain growth in Gen 2 thin film PV. A facile synthesis of Fe2GeS4 nanoparticles from molecular precursors, comprising mechanical mixing of starting materials followed by a two-hour annealing in a sulfur-rich atmosphere is presented herein. Further processing of the resulting Fe2GeS4 nanopowders at elevated temperatures demonstrates high thermal stability of Fe2GeS4 (up to 500 °C), in comparison with pyrite, which shows onset of pyrrhotite upon heating above 160 °C. Based on the secondary crystalline phases formed, here we propose a mechanism of decomposition of Fe2GeS4 at high temperatures. Films fabricated with Fe2GeS4 were further annealed and revealed that Fe2GeS4 withstands high temperatures in thin film.},
doi = {10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020},
journal = {Materials Letters},
number = C,
volume = 223,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Thu Apr 05 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2018.04.020
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