Polymeric stabilization of hybrid nanocomposites: a comparison between in situ and ex situ-grown CuInS2 in poly(3-hexylthiophene) polymer

CuInS₂ (CIS) particles were directly synthesized in P3HT matrix with different concentrations ratio of P3HT and CIS (1:2, 1:4, and 1:8) by decomposition of copper indium xanthate (CIX). Here, copper indium xanthate and P3HT were mixed homogeneously in o-dichlorobenzene (DCB), which induced the formation of the CIS nanoparticles by the thermal decomposition of the precursor compound in situ at temperatures as low as 110 °C. The effects of the precursor concentration on the size of the CIS nanoparticles was studied by microstructure investigations (TEM, AFM, XRD) and UV–vis measurements show that these CIS composites possess a direct bandgap energy higher than 1.45 eV depending on the concentration of P3HT. PL quenching of P3HT polymer (i.e., higher accessible fraction of fluorophores) was found to be more for in situ rather than ex situ conditions for comparable CIX concentrations or particle size. This can be attributed to the fact that in in situ synthesis, P3HT act as surface directing template for CIS nanoparticles which is not so in the case of ex situ synthesis. Due to this, the polymeric stabilization of the CIS nanocomposites is better realized for in situ synthesis as compared to ex situ synthesis.