Preparation of CuInS2 microspheres via a facile solution-chemical method

With a mixed solvent of triethylenetetramine-ethylene glycol (1:1, v/v), CuInS2 microspheres were synthesized by a facile solution-chemical method under the open-air condition. Morphology, structure, phase constituents and optical properties of the as-prepared CuInS2 powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry. The characterizations showed that the synthesized CuInS2 powders had single phase, good crystallinity and stoichiometric composition. Moreover, the prepared CuInS2 powders showed microspheres with the size from 200 to 400 nm, and their energy band gaps were 1.52 eV, which made them promising candidates as absorber materials for photovoltaic applications. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.