Synthesis of band-gap tunable earth-abundant CXTS (X= Mn+2, Co+2, Ni+2 and Zn+2) nanorods: Toward a generalized synthesis strategy of quaternary chalcogenides
Abstract Quaternary structured Cu 2 XSnS 4 (CXTS) nanostructures are important semiconductor materials for energy applications due to their excellent properties such as being earth abundant elements, nontoxic nature and easy production. Here, we first report a general process for the synthesis of quaternary CXTS nanorods by the simple and inexpensive hot-injection method. The chemical structure, morphology, optical, and thermal properties of the CXTS were investigated by XRD, TEM, UV–Vis, FTIR and TGA techniques. These results clearly show that the obtained materials have the same crystal structure and are shaped as nanorods with an average 10–40 nm edge length. This study shows that all of the CXTS nanorods can be synthesized by the same synthesis conditions through the simple and facile hot-injection process.