General Synthesis of Wurtzite Cu-Based Quaternary Selenide Nanocrystals via the Colloidal Method

Cu-based multinary selenide nanomaterials have garnered significant attention in photocatalytic and photovoltaic applications, owing to their unique electronic and optical properties. However, the high-yield and scalable synthesis of wurtzite colloidal Cu-based multinary selenide nanocrystals via a versatile and simple colloidal method has not yet been achieved. In this work, we report a general hot-injection colloidal method for the high-yield synthesis of a diverse library of wurtzite Cu-based quaternary selenide nanocrystals, including Cu₂CdSnSe₄, Cu₂ZnSnSe₄, Cu₂FeSnSe₄, Cu₂CoSnSe₄, Cu₂MnSnSe₄, Cu₃InSnSe₅, Cu₃GaSnSe₅, CuZnInSe₃, CuZnGaSe₃, CuCdInSe₃, and Cu(InGa)Se₂. As a proof of concept, the wurtzite Cu₂CdSnSe₄ nanocrystals are used as photocatalysts for solar-to-hydrogen production, displaying a good photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance. Moreover, this approach has broad applicability for the high-yield synthesis of other wurtzite nanomaterials, which show significant potential for a wide range of applications.