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Published on: August 23, 2012
A route to phase controllable Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals with tunable energy bands
Shulin Ji1, Tongfei Shi, Xiaodong Qiu
1Key Laboratory of Materials Physics and Anhui Key Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Technology, Institute of Solid State Physics, and Key Laboratory of New Thin Film Solar Cells, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals are an emerging family of functional materials with huge potential of industrial applications, however, it is an extremely challenging task to synthesize Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals with both tunable energy band and phase purity. Here we show that a green and economic route could be designed for the synthesis of Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals with bandgap tunable in the range of 1.5-1.12 eV. Consequently, conduction band edge shifted from -3.9 eV to -4.61 eV (relative to vacuum energy) is realized. The phase purity of Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals is substantiated with in-depth combined optical and structural characterizations. Electrocatalytic and thermoelectric performances of Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals verify their superior activity to replace noble metal Pt and materials containing heavy metals. This green and economic route will promote large-scale application of Cu2ZnSn(S(1-x)Se(x))4 nanocrystals as solar cell materials, electrocatalysts, and thermoelectric materials.
