Metal acetate based synthesis of small-sized Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals: effect of injection temperature and synthesis time. Issue 19 (16th February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Irkhina, A.; Levcenko, S.; Hinrichs, V.; Plate, P.; Unold, T.
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 7:Issue 19(2017)
• Page Start: 11752
• Page End: 11760
• Publication Date: 2017-02-16
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra28588k
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : The metal precursor reactivity is shown to tune the Cu2 ZnSnS4 formation mechanism, and a synthesis with preferential formation of small-sized nanocrystals is demonstrated. Abstract : We report the colloidal synthesis of small-sized Cu2 ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals (NCs) via a hot-injection method using zinc and tin acetates in combination with copper acetylacetonate as metal precursors. A systematic investigation of the influence of the injection temperature in the range from 190 °C to 300 °C on the size distribution, composition and phase purity of CZTS nanocrystals has been performed. It has been found that temperature plays the key role in changing of the metal sources reactivity and influences the final composition of the nanocrystals. The mechanism of nanocrystal formation has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy of aliquots of their solutions. It starts from the formation of a Cu2− x S phase as a core followed by the incorporation of Zn 2+ and Sn 4+ atoms into its structure regardless of injection temperature.