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Reduction-Controlled Tunable Synthesis of Covellite (CuS) Nanoparticles from Water-Soluble Single-Source Precursors
Xiang Xu1,2, Siqiao Huang1, Desmond A Koomson1
1Department of Chemistry, King's College London, London, UK.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|March 18, 2026
Summary
Amino acid-derived copper complexes offer a water-soluble, low-temperature route to covellite (CuS) nanoparticles. This sustainable method allows precise control over nanoparticle size and shape through pH and metalation tuning.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Inorganic Chemistry
Background:
- Single-source precursor (SSP) methods are efficient for synthesizing covellite (CuS) nanoparticles (NPs).
- Existing SSPs often require high temperatures (>100°C) and organic solvents, limiting their sustainability and applicability.
- Developing low-temperature, water-soluble precursors is crucial for greener synthesis of CuS NPs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce novel amino acid-derived copper(II)-dithiocarbamate (DTC) complexes as water-soluble SSPs.
- To investigate the low-temperature hydrothermal decomposition pathway of these Cu(II)-DTC complexes to CuS.
- To demonstrate control over CuS NP size and shape through mechanistic understanding and tuning of reaction parameters.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of amino acid-derived copper(II)-dithiocarbamate (DTC) complexes.
- Low-temperature hydrothermal decomposition of Cu(II)-DTCs in aqueous solution.
- Isolation and characterization of copper(I)-dithiocarbamate (Cu(I)-DTC) intermediates using phosphine adducts.
- Spectroscopic monitoring (UV-vis) of reaction kinetics and pH/metalation effects.
- Analysis of resulting CuS nanoparticles for size and shape control.
Main Results:
- Cu(II)-DTC complexes serve as effective water-soluble SSPs for CuS NP synthesis at low temperatures.
- A reduction-mediated molecular decomposition pathway involving Cu(I)-DTC intermediates was elucidated.
- Intramolecular ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (LMCT) was identified as the rate-limiting step, sensitive to pH and metalation.
- Tunable formation of CuS NPs with sizes ranging from 10-150 nm was achieved by controlling reaction kinetics.
- Crystallographically confirmed Cu(I)-DTC phosphine adducts provided direct evidence of intermediates.
Conclusions:
- Amino acid-derived Cu(II)-DTC complexes enable sustainable, low-temperature synthesis of CuS NPs.
- Mechanistic insights into the reduction-mediated decomposition pathway allow for precise control over NP morphology.
- This approach offers a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for producing size-shape tunable CuS nanomaterials.
