Fabrication of CuInS2 films from electrodeposited Cu/In bilayers: effects of preheat treatment on their structural, photoelectrochemical and solar cell properties

Polycrystalline CuInS(2) films were fabricated by sulfurization of electrodeposited Cu and In metallic precursor films in a Cu-rich composition at 520 °C in H(2)S (5% in Ar). Structural analyses revealed that the adherence of the thus-formed CuInS(2) film to the Mo substrate was strongly dependent on heating profiles of the Cu/In bilayer film: a CuInS(2) film with poor adherence having many crevices was formed when the Cu/In bilayer film was heated monotonously from room temperature to 520 °C in Ar within 25 min followed by sulfurization, whereas CuInS(2) films with good adherence were obtained when the Cu/In films were pretreated at 110 °C in Ar for 10-60 min just before increasing the temperature up to 520 °C for sulfurization. It was also clarified that the CuInS(2) film obtained without 110 °C pretreatment had pinholes inside the film, whereas the CuInS(2) films formed after 110 °C pretreatment showed no notable pinholes. Photoelectrochemical responses of these CuInS(2) films in an electrolyte solution containing Eu(III) indicated that the CuInS(2) films obtained after 110 °C pretreatment had higher external quantum efficiency (EQE) values than those of films obtained without 110 °C pretreatment, mainly due to better adherence of 110 °C pretreated CuInS(2) films to the Mo substrate than the CuInS(2) film obtained without 110 °C pretreatment. The performance of solar cells with an Al:ZnO/Zn(S,O)/CdS/CuInS(2)/Mo structure also depended on the structural characteristics of the CuInS(2) films, i.e., preliminary conversion efficiencies of ca. 5% were obtained for devices based on the CuInS(2) films obtained after 110 °C pretreatment, whereas the device prepared by the CuInS(2) film without 110 °C pretreatment showed the conversion efficiency less than 1.5%.     

Size-controlled chalcopyrite CuInS2 nanocrystals: One-pot synthesis and optical characterization

Chalcopyrite ternary CuInS2 semiconductor nanocrystals have been synthesized via a facile one-pot chemical approach by using oleylamine and oleic acid as solvents.The as-prepared CuInS2 nanocrystals have been characterized by instrumental analyses such as X-ray diffraction(XRD),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS),transmission electron microscopy(TEM)/high-resolution TEM(HRTEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS),UV-vis absorption spectroscopy(UV-vis) and photoluminescence(PL) spectroscopy.The particle sizes of the CuInS2 nanocrystals could be tuned from 2 to 10 nm by simply varying reaction conditions.Oleylamine,which acted as both a reductant and an effective capping agent,plays an important role in the size-controlled synthesis of CuInS2 nanocrystals.Based on a series of comparative experiments under different reaction conditions,the probable formation mechanism of CuInS2 nanocrystals has been proposed.Furthermore,the UV-vis absorption and PL emission spectra of the chalcopyrite CuInS2 nanocrystals have been found to be adjustable in the range of 527-815 nm and 625-800 nm,respectively,indicating their potential application in photovoltaic devices.     

Growth and photoelectrochemical properties of ordered CuInS2 nanorod arrays

CuInS(2) nanorod array structures are synthesized via a template-free and non-vacuum route for the first time. The obtained CuInS(2) thin films show promising conversion efficiency in a two-electrode photoelectrochemical cell.     

基于S-型光催化机制CuInS2内嵌中空凹面氮化碳光催化分解H2O制H2（英文）

光催化解离H2O合成H2是绿色可再生的太阳能光子能量转换策略之一.目前,增强光催化材料对太阳能光子的捕获并将之有效利用仍然是一个具有挑战性的课题.光催化解离H2O反应包括三个过程:太阳能光子能量促使光生电子在半导体材料带隙中的跃迁;光生电子定向传输;光生电子与吸附在半导体材料表面的H2O分子发生反应.第一过程需要强的太阳光子捕获能力以产生足够的光生载流子;第二、三过程在动力学上反映了光生载流子在各个竞争过程中能否有效利用的问题,如光生电子迁移与H2O作用的速度很慢(~μs),而电子与空穴的复合速度快(~ps).目前研究者很难协调半导体材料的电学和光学特性以满足光生载流子在热力学和动力学两方面的要求.g-C3N4是由C、N原子通过sp2杂化组成的二维π共轭体系.当g-C3N4结构偏离二维平面时,共轭体系的π电子由凹面迁移到凸面,促使凹、凸面形成表观电势差,有利于电子的定向传输.本文通过卷曲sp2杂化离域均三嗪体系偏离二维平面,得到空心凹面g-C3N4结构,便捷地优化了半导体的电子结构.将CuInS2嵌入生长于空心g-C3N4的凹面,所构成的半导体光催化材料CuInS2@C3N4展现了增强的光捕获能力,以及电子定向传输转移能力.结合XPS、光电流测试、电化学阻抗谱、稳态及瞬态荧光等表征手段揭示空心g-C3N4凹、凸面表观电势差驱动光生电子以S-型光催化作用机制从CuInS2的Cu 2p向g-C3N4的N 1s的路径转移.因而,所构建的CuInS2@C3N4在可见光激发下产氢效率提高到373μmol·h^?1·g^?1,其产氢效率分别是二维平面g-C3N4负载1 wt%Pt和3 wt%Pd效率的1.57倍和1.35倍,表明空心g-C3N4凹、凸面电势差可以显著地促进光生电子分离和利用率,从而提高光催化解离水制氢效率.本文可增强g-C3N4的可持续太阳能转换性能,也适用于其他半导体材料以替代贵金属光催化体系,降低光催化产氢技术成本,促进光催化技术的应用.     

Detection of ascorbic acid and folic acid based on water-soluble CuInS(2) quantum dots

In this paper, water-soluble CuInS(2) ternary quantum dots (QDs) modified by mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) were directly synthesized by hydrothermal method. Ascorbic acid (AA) can induce the fluorescence enhancement of MPA-capped CuInS(2) QDs and can be used for the detection of AA. Under the optimized conditions, the relationship between the fluorescence intensity of the CuInS(2) QDs and AA concentration was linear in the range of 0.25-200 μmol?L(-1). Most relevant molecules and physiological ions had no effect on the detection of AA. The fluorescence intensity of CuInS(2) QDs enhanced by a certain amount of AA could be reduced in the presence of folic acid (FA) and thus can be used for the detection of FA with the linear range of 0.2-100 μmol?L(-1). Compared with previous reports, the established approach utilized a simple, sensitive, and selective strategy to develop the QDs probe based on fluorescence enhancing and quenching phenomena without complicated immobilization.     

Facile thermolysis synthesis of CuInS2 nanocrystals with tunable anisotropic shape and structure

Monodisperse CuInS(2) nanocrystals are produced by injecting mixed metal-oleate precursors into hot organic solvents containing the dissolved sulphur sources. A better understanding of the formation mechanism of CuInS(2) has enabled us to tailor anisotropic shapes in the form of triangular-pyramid, circular cone, and bullet-like rods with tunable crystal phases by varying the synthetic conditions.     

掺杂CuInS2纳米晶玻璃的三阶非线性光学性质

采用溶胶-凝胶法结合气氛控制制备了CuInS2纳米晶玻璃. 利用X射线粉末衍射仪(XRD)和透射电子显微镜(TEM)对CuInS2纳米晶在玻璃中的形貌和微结构进行了表征, 并利用飞秒Z扫描技术对该玻璃的三阶非线性光学性质进行了研究. 结果表明, 在钠硼硅玻璃中形成了尺寸分布为10 nm左右的均一的CuInS2四方晶系纳米晶. 该玻璃体现出优良的三阶非线性光学性能, 其三阶非线性光学折射率γ、吸收系数β和极化率χ(3)分别为8.57×10-16 m2/W, 3.74×10-8 m/W和1.95×10-17 m2/V2.     

Analytical characterization of CuInS(2) semiconductor material

Systematic analytical procedures have been developed for determination of the stoichiometry of CuInS(2) and estimation of trace elements, including dopants and impurities, in the material. Samples of CuInS(2) are digested in an oxidizing acid to ensure completely transformation into Cu(2+), In(3+) and SO(4)(2-) ions. The stoichiometry determination is made sequentially by controlled potential electro-deposition of copper, followed by its EDTA titration, titrimetric determination of indium and gravimetric determination of sulphate, in a single sample solution. The relative errors for the determination of Cu and In are found to be -0.08% and +0.11% respectively, fulfilling the requirement for accurate stoichiometry assessment; that for S is -0.66%, which though rather high is still acceptable. For the determination of trace elements in CuInS(2), multistage combined procedures are employed. Cu in the sample solution is removed by electro-deposition and In by extraction of HInBr(4) with isopropyl ether, then most of the trace elements are finally determined by atomic-absorption spectrometry, and the rest by neutron-activation analysis. All the steps involved in the procedures have been optimized by using radioisotopes as tracers. By the procedures developed, a wide range of trace elements in CuInS(2), down to submicrogram level, can be determined.     

Shape- and phase-controlled synthesis of monodisperse, single-crystalline ternary chalcogenide colloids through a convenient solution synthesis strategy

Colloidal, monodisperse, single-crystalline pyramidal CuInS2 and rectangular AgInS2 nanocrystals were successfully synthesized through a convenient and improved solvothermal process that uses hexadecylamine as a capping reagent. The crystal phase, morphology, crystal lattice, and chemical composition of the as-prepared products were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Results revealed that the as-synthesized CuInS2 colloid is in the tetragonal phase (size: 13-17 nm) and the AgInS2 in the orthorhombic structure (size: 17+/-0.5 nm). A possible shape evolution and crystal growth mechanism has been suggested for the formation of pyramidal CuInS2 and rectangular AgInS2 colloids. Control experiments indicated that the morphology- and/or phase-change of CuInS2 and orthorhombic AgInS2 colloids are temperature- and/or time-dependent. CuInS2 colloids absorb well in the range of visible light at room-temperature, indicating its potential application as a solar absorber. Two photoluminescence (PL) subbands at 1.938 and 2.384 eV in the PL spectra of CuInS2 colloids revealed that the recombination of the closest and the second closest donor-acceptor pairs within the CuInS2 lattice, in which the donor defect (Cui) occupies an interstitial position and the acceptor defect (VIn) resides at an adjacent cation site. In addition, the synthesis strategy developed in this study is convenient and inexpensive, and could also be used as a general process for the synthesis of other pure or doped ternary chalcogenides that require a controlled size (or shape). This process could be extended to the synthesis of other functional nanomaterials.     

SILAR法制备化学计量CuInS_2薄膜

在室温下,以不同cCu/cIn的CuCl2和InCl3混合溶液作为阳离子前驱体,Na2S水溶液为硫源,利用连续离子层吸附反应法(SILAR)在玻璃基底上制备了CuInS2薄膜。XRD结果表明,当cCu2 /cIn3 在1￣1.5范围内均可形成具有黄铜矿结构的CuInS2薄膜。SEM观察到随cCu2 /cIn3 的升高,薄膜表面颗粒长大并出现团簇聚集。通过XPS测定薄膜表面的化学组成证明当cCu2 /cIn3 =1.25时,CuInS2薄膜接近其标准的化学计量组成。此时薄膜的吸收系数大于>104cm-1,禁带宽度Eg为1.45eV。     

Synthesis and shape control of CuInS(2) nanoparticles

Cu(2)S-CuInS(2) hybrid nanostructures as well as pure CuInS(2) (CIS) nanocrystals were synthesized by methods of colloidal chemistry. The structure, the shape and the composition of these nanomaterials were investigated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). By changing the reaction conditions, CuInS(2) nanorods with different aspect ratio, dimeric nanorods as well as hexagonal discs and P-shaped particles could be synthesized. Under our reaction conditions, CIS nanoparticles crystallize in the hexagonal wurtzite structure, as confirmed by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffraction patterns. The formation of Cu(2)S-CuInS(2) hybrid nanostructures turned out to be an essential intermediate step in the growth of CIS nanoparticles, the copper sulphide part of the hybrid material playing an important role in the shape control of the CIS nanocrystals. By a treatment of Cu(2)S-CuInS(2) with 1,10-phenanthroline, Cu(2)S parts of the hybrid nanostructures could be removed, and pure CIS nanoparticles with shapes not accessible with other methods can be obtained. Our synthetic procedure turned out to be suitable to synthesize also other compounds, like CuInS(2)-ZnS alloys, and to modify, in this way, the optical properties of the nanocrystals.     

Synthesis of CuInS2-ZnS alloyed nanocubes with high luminescence

CuInS(2)-ZnS alloyed nanocubes with high luminescence were synthesized through a solution-based diffusion method.     

Solvothermal synthesis of zincblende and wurtzite CuInS2 nanocrystals and their photovoltaic application

We report a simple solvothermal synthesis approach to the growth of CuInS(2) nanocrystals with zincblende- and wurtzite-phase structures. Zincblende nanocrystals with particle sizes of 10-20 nm were produced using oleylamine as the solvent. When ethylenediamine was used as the solvent, similarly sized wurtzite nanocrystals with some degree of particle aggregation were formed. Use of a mixture of these solvents gave products with mixed phases including some polyhedral nanostructures. The crystal phases of these nanocrystals were carefully determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis. All the samples exhibit strong absorption from the entire visible light region to the near-infrared region beyond 1300 nm. Pure-phase zincblende and wurtzite CuInS(2) nanocrystals were employed as ink in the fabrication of solar cells. The spray-coated nanocrystal layer was subjected to a selenization process. A power conversion efficiency of ~0.74% and a good external quantum efficiency profile over broad wavelengths have been measured. The results demonstrate that wurtzite and zincblende CuInS(2) nanocrystals may be attractive precursors to light-absorbing materials for making efficient photovoltaic devices.     

Alloyed (ZnS)(x) (CuInS(2) )(1-x) Semiconductor Nanorods: Synthesis, Bandgap Tuning and Photocatalytic Properties

Rod-like nanocrystals of the semiconductor alloy (ZnS)(x) (CuInS(2) )(1-x) (ZCIS) have been colloidally prepared by using a one-pot non-injection-based synthetic strategy. The ZCIS nanorods crystallize in the hexagonal wurtzite structure and display preferential growth in the direction of the c axis. The bandgap of these quarternary alloyed nanorods can be conveniently tuned by varying the ratio of ZnS to CuInS(2) . A non-linear relationship between the bandgap and the alloy composition is observed. The ZCIS nanorods are found to exhibit promising photocatalytic behaviour in visible-light-driven degradation of Rhodamine?B.     

Effect of supporting electrolyte concentration on one-step electrodeposited CuInS2 films for ZnS/CuInS2 solar cell applications

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A one-step electrodeposition process was used to obtain CuInS2 (CIS) films on a molybdenum substrate by varying the supporting electrolyte (lithium...     

General synthesis of I-III-VI2 ternary semiconductor nanocrystals

Metastable orthorhombic phase of AgInS2 nanocrystals with various shapes, including particles, rods, and worms, have been obtained to demonstrate a facile and effective one-pot chemical route for the synthesis of high quality I-III-VI2 ternary semiconductor nanocrystals (AgInS2, CuInS2, AgInSe2) with controllable shape and size.     

Preparation and Characterization of CuInS2 Thin Films for Solar Cells by Chemical Bath Deposition

Introduction Recent years, chalcopyrite semiconductors have been successfully applied as absorber layers for polycrystalline thin-film solar cells. Among the ternary compound semiconductors, CuInS2 thin films with a direct bandgap of about 1.50 eV and a large absorption coefficient in the range of 104-105cm-1[1] are one kind of the most promising optical absorbers for high efficiency thin film solar cells.To date, CuInS2-based solar cells have shown conversion efficiency of about 12. 5%[2]. They exhibit long-term stability without any signs of degradation.     

Study of Interactions in the CuInS2-FeS System

Russian Journal of General Chemistry - The CuInS2-FeS section of the ternary Cu2S-In2S3-FeS system has been studied by means of differential thermal, X-ray diffraction, and microstructural...     

Shape-controlled synthesis of ternary chalcogenide ZnIn2S4 and CuIn(S,Se)2 nano-/microstructures via facile solution route

We demonstrated in this paper the shape-controlled synthesis of ZnIn2S4, CuInS2, and CuInSe2 nano- and microstructures through a facile solution-based route. One-dimensional ZnIn2S4 nanotubes and nanoribbons were synthesized by a solvothermal method with pyridine as the solvent, while ZnIn2S4 solid or hollow microspheres were hydrothermally prepared in the presence of a surfactant such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) or poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG). The mechanisms related to the phase formation and morphology control of ZnIn2S4 are proposed and discussed. The UV-vis absorption spectra show that the as-prepared nano- and micromaterials have strong absorption in a wide range from UV to visible light and that their band gaps are somewhat relevant to the size and morphology. The photoluminescence measurements of the ZnIn2S4 microspheres at room temperature reveal intense excitation at approximately 575 nm and red emission at approximately 784 nm. Furthermore, CuInS2 and CuInSe2 with different morphologies such as spheres, platelets, rods, and fishbone-like shapes were also obtained by similar hydrothermal and solvothermal synthesis.     

Photocatalytic H2 evolution under visible-light irradiation over band-structure-controlled (CuIn)xZn2(1-x)S2 solid solutions

(CuIn)(x)Zn2(1-x)S2 solid solutions between a ZnS photocatalyst with a wide band gap and CuInS(2) with a narrow band gap showed photocatalytic activities for H(2) evolution from aqueous solutions containing sacrificial reagents SO(3)(2-) and S(2-) under visible-light irradiation (lambda >/= 420 nm). Pt (0.5 wt %)-loaded (CuIn)(0.09)Zn(1.82)S(2) with a 2.3-eV band gap showed the highest activity for H(2) evolution, and the apparent quantum yield at 420 nm amounted to 12.5%. H(2) evolved at a rate of 1.5 L h(-1) m(-2) under irradiation with a solar simulator (AM 1.5). Diffuse reflection and photoluminescence spectra of the solid solutions shifted monotonically to a long wavelength side, as the ratio of CuInS(2) to ZnS increased in the solid solutions. The photocatalytic H(2) evolution depended on the composition as well as the photophysical properties. DFT calculations suggested that the visible-light response should be derived from the contribution of Cu 3d and S 3p orbitals to the valence band and that of In 5s5p and Zn 4s4p orbitals to the conduction band, respectively. The contribution of these orbitals to the energy bands affected the photophysical and photocatalytic properties.