Tailoring Shape and Crystallographic Phase of Copper Sulfide Nanostructures Using Novel Thiourea Complexes as Single Source Precursors

Copper sulfide thin films and nanoparticles have been prepared via aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition and solvothermal hot injection routes, respectively. Both routes employed heterocyclic amine based benzoylthioureato-copper(II) complexes as single source precursors. Copper sulfide thin films of diverse morphologies ranging from cubic to snowy or irregular crystallites depending on the deposition temperature were observed. Powder X-ray diffraction studies of the as deposited thin films have indicated the formation of hexagonal and cubic phases of copper sulfide. In the case of the nanoparticles, Roxbyite (Cu1.75S) phase was obtained in dodecanethiol at temperatures of 150, 190 and 230 degrees C. However, a preferred growth of nanoparticles was observed in the presence of oleylamine whereas the roxbyite phase was obtained at temperatures of 150, 200 and 250 degrees C. Also transmission electron microscopy showed the formation of close to spherical, hexagonal nano-disk and rod shaped nanoparticles.