Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7), Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
Structural and tunable optical properties of low-temperature solution- phase tetragonal Cu 3 SbS 4 nanoparticles Kimberly Weston* The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago An attractive class of semi-conducting materials with non-toxic, low-cost and highly efficient characteristics have emerged as promising alternatives for applications in solar cell technologies. Novel materials or structures with properties that match the spectral distribution of the solar spectrum are therefore required to produce materials of high efficacy. One copper-based semiconductor metal chalcogenide, copper antimony sulphide (CAS) as nanoparticles and thin films is an excellent candidate for potential photovoltaic (PV) applications, since, in addition to the elements’ abundance, low toxicity and simple inexpensive processing protocols, bulk CAS has a strong absorption coefficient of 105 cm -1 and a band gap between 0.5 and 2.0 eV, matching well with the solar spectrum as well as excellent photostability. Many studies indicate that dopants such as Zn 2+ , Ni 2+ and, In 3+ etc. are effective in tuning optoelectronic properties of CAS towards improved photoconductivity, photostability, wider spectral capture and increased efficiency in solar cells. The scarcity of reports involving the tunable nature of CAS’ optoelectronic properties present a tremendous opportunity for the advancement of CAS-based solar technologies. As-synthesised copper-poor, antimony-rich Cu 3 SbS 4 nanoparticles were prepared by colloidal synthesis (hot-injection) at 60 and 70 °C for up to 30 minutes. Solvent combination was found to drive two competing morphologies (rod-like and ill-faceted hexagons) of particle sizes ranging from 2.5 to 9 nm. Absorption data indicate that as-synthesized nanoparticles have an indirect band gap range between 1.9 and 2.2 eV and overall, the nanoparticles display broad emission of fast dual radiative recombination. Tuning of the structural and optical properties of the nanoparticles are being undertaken through the incorporation of metal-dopants, and once achieved, will provide much scope for probing and probable advancement of the PV efficiency of chalcogenide based solar cells. This presentation will provide insights into the structure – property relationships of the generally unexplored metal-doped core/ shell (and core) nanostructures of ternary and quarternary compound copper antimony sulphides.
P21
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