Microwave-assisted synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 nanocrystals as a novel anode material for lithium ion battery

In this paper, we report a simple microwave-assisted method for the synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals. The as-prepared CZTS nanoparticles have a mono-dispersed size of about 10–15 nm. CZTS is preliminarily applied as a novel anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs). It is composed of three elements that are electrochemically active toward Li, which lead to LIBs with good power density, ratio ability, and cycling performance. The synthesis process of CZTS nanocrystals is simple, low cost, and broadly applicable providing a new avenue for electrode materials with enhanced conductivity and power. The CZTS nanocrystal anode has a reversible capacity of 288 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 current density and it can still maintain a retention capacity of 81 % after 30 cycles. These results show that CZTS nanocrystals have interesting electrochemical properties and might have the potential for application in LiBs.