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A water- and sulfurization-free solution route to Cu2-xZn1+xSnS4

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Abstract

Zinc-rich/copper-poor Cu2-xZn1+xSnS4 (x = 0.2, CZTS) has been successfully produced in film and powder form using two non-aqueous solutions (of metal salts and thiourea) without the need for sulfurization during the annealing phase. A reaction route is proposed and the choices of the solvents (water, ethyleneglycol, ethanol, methanol) and of the tin source (tin chloride pentahydrate or anhydrous) discussed and justified. A pure and coarse-grained material is obtained with a mix of metal salts in methanol and thiourea in ethylene glycol. The tin pentahydrate salt seems a better alternative to the commonly used anhydrous chloride.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Italian Government through the project FIRB Futuro in Ricerca RBFR10CWDA and the Italian Ministry of Economic Development in the framework of the Operating Agreement with ENEA for the Research on the Electric System.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, via Mesiano, 77, 38123, Trento, TN, Italy

    Renato D’Angelo, Cristy Leonor Azanza Ricardo, Paolo Scardi & Matteo Leoni

  2. ENEA, Casaccia Research Center, Via Anguillarese 301, 00123, Rome, Italy

    Alberto Mittiga

Authors
  1. Renato D’Angelo
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  2. Cristy Leonor Azanza Ricardo
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  3. Alberto Mittiga
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  4. Paolo Scardi
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  5. Matteo Leoni
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Correspondence to Matteo Leoni.

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D’Angelo, R., Azanza Ricardo, C.L., Mittiga, A. et al. A water- and sulfurization-free solution route to Cu2-xZn1+xSnS4 . J Sol-Gel Sci Technol 72, 490–495 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-014-3462-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-014-3462-x

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