Abstract
Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals were synthesized via thermolysis of single-source cation and sulfur precursors copper, zinc and tin diethyldithiocarbamates. The average nanocrystal size could be tuned between 2 nm and 40 nm, by varying the synthesis temperature between 150 °C and 340 °C. The synthesis is rapid and is completed in less than 10 minutes. Characterization by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirm that the nanocrystals are nominally stoichiometric kesterite CZTS. The ∼2 nm nanocrystals synthesized at 150 °C exhibit quantum confinement, with a band gap of 1.67 eV. Larger nanocrystals have the expected bulk CZTS band gap of 1.5 eV. Several micron thick films deposited by drop casting colloidal dispersions of ∼40 nm CZTS nanocrystals were crack-free, while those cast using 5 nm nanocrystals had micron-scale cracks.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 10389-10395 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Materials Chemistry A |
Volume | 2 |
Issue number | 27 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 21 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Chemistry
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- General Materials Science