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Synthesis and characterization of (Cu1−xAgx)2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles with phase transition and bandgap tuning

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Abstract

Multi-component chalcogenide (Cu1−xAgx)2ZnSnS4 (CAZTS, x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) nanoparticles were synthesized by incorporation of Ag into wurtzite Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) using a simple one-pot method and were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV–Vis–NIR absorption spectrum, respectively. The synthesized nanoparticles exhibit the phase transition from wurtzite to kesterite structure when the substitution ratio (x) of Ag is around 0.3. The bandgaps of CAZTS nanoparticles are in the range of 1.43–1.64 eV. This finding indicates that Ag substitution in wurtzite CZTS is an effective way to adjust the bandgap and structure.

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Acknowledgements

The work was financially supported by the National Science Foundation of China (No. 61764010) and supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11564002) and sponsored by Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (17ZR1409600) and supported by the State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics of Fudan University (KF2018-15).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. SHU-SolarE R&D Lab, Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China

    Ning Liu, Fei Xu, Liang Wu, Kangjing Wu & Feng Hong

  2. College of Materials Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650093, China

    Yan Zhu, Guitang Liu & Shuhong Sun

  3. State Key Laboratory of Surface Physics and Department of Physics, Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Photoni-c Structures (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, 200433, China

    Fei Xu

  4. College of Engineering, Dali University, Dali, 671003, China

    Yongmao Hu

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  1. Ning Liu
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Liu, N., Xu, F., Zhu, Y. et al. Synthesis and characterization of (Cu1−xAgx)2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles with phase transition and bandgap tuning. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 31, 5760–5768 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-020-03146-8

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