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Raval JB, Chaki SH, Patel SR, Giri RK, Solanki MB, Deshpande MP. Direct vapour transport grown Cu 2SnS 3 crystals: exploring structural, elastic, optical, and electronic properties. RSC Adv 2024; 14:28401-28414. [PMID: 39239288 PMCID: PMC11376234 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04344h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Copper tin sulphide (Cu2SnS3) (CTS) has emerged as a potent material for applications in photovoltaic, thermoelectric, electrochemical, biological, and other fields. CTS has superior properties such as non-toxicity, direct bandgap, p-type conductivity, variable crystal structure, alterable morphology and ease of synthesis, and it is a better substitute for conventional semiconductor materials. In the present work, CTS crystals were grown using direct vapour transport. Investigation through X-ray diffraction showed that the as-grown CTS crystals possessed a cubic unit cell structure with a = b = c = 5.403 Å. The analysis of the binding energies and composition of constituents of the as-grown CTS crystals via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Cu1+, Sn4+ and S2-. The experimental bandgap of CTS crystals is 1.23 eV, which was confirmed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The investigation of elastic, optical, thermal and electronic properties of CTS crystals was carried out via density functional theory employing generalized gradient approximation with the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof exchange-relationship functional. The first-ever analysis of the temperature-dependent elastic properties of CTS crystals revealed greater stability at elevated temperature (953 K). Dielectric properties, reflectivity, refractive index, loss function, extinction and absorption coefficients of CTS crystals were computed and analyzed in detail. The evaluation of the electronic band structure with density of states revealed valence band maximum and conduction band energy level contributions, showing a bandgap of 1.2 eV. The obtained results are discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolly B Raval
- P. G. Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India
| | - Sunil H Chaki
- P. G. Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India
| | - Sefali R Patel
- P. G. Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India
| | - Ranjan Kr Giri
- P. G. Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India
| | - Mitesh B Solanki
- Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University Waghodia Vadodara 391760 Gujarat India
| | - Milind P Deshpande
- P. G. Department of Physics, Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India
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2
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Chang CY, Kaur N, Prado-Rivera R, Lai CY, Radu D. Size-Controlled Cu 3VSe 4 Nanocrystals as Cathode Material in Platinum-Free Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024; 16:13719-13728. [PMID: 38459614 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c18658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
In this work, we report the first single-step, size-controlled synthesis of Cu3VSe4 cuboidal nanocrystals, with the longest dimension ranging from 9 to 36 nm, and their use in replacing the platinum counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cells. Cu3VSe4, a ternary semiconductor from the class of sulvanites, is theoretically predicted to have good hole mobility, making it a promising candidate for charge transport in solar photovoltaic devices. The identity and crystalline purity of the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals were validated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The particle size was determined from the XRD data using the Williamson-Hall equation and was found in agreement with the transmission electron microscopy imaging. Based on the electrochemical activity of the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals, studied by cyclic voltammetry, the nanomaterials were further employed for fabricating counter electrodes (CEs) in Pt-free dye-sensitized solar cells. The counter electrodes were prepared from Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals as thin films, and the charge transfer kinetics were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The work demonstrates that Cu3VSe4 counter electrodes successfully replace platinum in DSSCs. CEs fabricated with the Cu3VSe4 nanocrystals having an average particle size of 31.6 nm outperformed Pt, leading to DSSCs with the highest power conversion efficiency (5.93%) when compared with those fabricated with the Pt CE (5.85%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yu Chang
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Navdeep Kaur
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Roberto Prado-Rivera
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Cheng-Yu Lai
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, United States
| | - Daniela Radu
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
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Chang CY, Prado-Rivera R, Liu M, Lai CY, Radu DR. Colloidal Synthesis and Photocatalytic Properties of Cu 3NbS 4 and Cu 3NbSe 4 Sulvanite Nanocrystals. ACS NANOSCIENCE AU 2022; 2:440-447. [PMID: 36281253 PMCID: PMC9585635 DOI: 10.1021/acsnanoscienceau.2c00021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Niobium sulvanites Cu3NbX4 (X = S, Se) have been theoretically predicted as promising candidates for solar photovoltaics and photocatalytic water splitting. This report outlines the first synthesis of Cu3NbS4 and Cu3NbSe4 in a nanocrystalline form. The crystal structures were investigated by X-ray diffraction, identity was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy, and the optoelectronic properties and morphology of Cu3NbS4 and Cu3NbSe4 nanocrystals were examined by UV-vis spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. To gain insight into the Cu3NbX4 formation, a mechanistic study was conducted for Cu3NbSe4 monitoring the nanoparticles' formation as a function of reaction time. Methylene blue photodegradation tests were conducted to evaluate the photoactivity of Cu3NbS4 and Cu3NbSe4. The degradation rates, 2.81 × 10-2 min-1 and 1.22 × 10-2 min-1 proved the photocatalysts' potential of nanoscale Cu3NbX4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yu Chang
- Department of Mechanical
and Materials Engineering, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Roberto Prado-Rivera
- Department of Mechanical
and Materials Engineering, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Mimi Liu
- Department of Mechanical
and Materials Engineering, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Cheng-Yu Lai
- Department of Mechanical
and Materials Engineering, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
| | - Daniela R. Radu
- Department of Mechanical
and Materials Engineering, Florida International
University, Miami, Florida 33174, United States
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Joshi H, Shankar A, Limbu N, Ram M, Laref A, Patra PK, Ismailova OB, Zuala L, Chatterjee S, Rai DP. Pressure-Induced Enhanced Optical Absorption in Sulvanite Compound Cu 3TaX 4 (X = S, Se, and Te): An ab Initio Study. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:19070-19079. [PMID: 35722007 PMCID: PMC9202285 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c06795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Ab initio study on the family of ternary copper chalcogenides Cu3TaX4 (X = S, Se, and Te) is performed to investigate the suitability of these compounds to applications as photovoltaic absorber materials. The density functional theory based full potential linearized augmented plane wave method (FP-LAPW method) is employed for computational purposes. The electronic structure and optical properties are determined including electron-electron interaction and spin-orbit coupling (SOC), within the generalized gradient approximation plus Hubbard U (GGA+U) and GGA+U+SOC approximation. The large optical band gaps of Cu3TaS4 and Cu3TaSe4 considered ineffective for absorber materials, and also the hole effective mass has been modulated through applied pressure. These materials show extreme resistance to external pressure, and are found to be stable up to a pressure range of 10 GPa, investigated using phonon dispersion calculations. The observed optical properties and the absorption coefficients within the visible-light spectrum make these compounds promising materials for photovoltaic applications. The calculated energy and optical band gaps are consistent with the available literature and are compared with the experimental results where available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshu Joshi
- Condensed
Matter Theory Research Lab, Kurseong College, Darjeeling 734203, India
- Department
of Physics, St. Josephs College, North Point, Darjeeling 734103, India
| | - Amit Shankar
- Condensed
Matter Theory Research Lab, Kurseong College, Darjeeling 734203, India
| | - Nihal Limbu
- Condensed
Matter Theory Research Lab, Kurseong College, Darjeeling 734203, India
- Department
of Physics, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya 793022, India
| | - Mahesh Ram
- Condensed
Matter Theory Research Lab, Kurseong College, Darjeeling 734203, India
- Department
of Physics, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya 793022, India
| | - Amel Laref
- Physics
Department, Faculty of Science, King Saudi
University, Riyad 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Prasanta Kumar Patra
- Department
of Physics, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya 793022, India
| | - Oksana Bakhtiyarovna Ismailova
- Uzbekistan-Japan
Innovation Center of Youth, Tashkent 100180, Uzbekistan
- Turin
Polytechnic
University in Tashkent, Tashkent 100095, Uzbekistan
| | - Lalhriat Zuala
- Physical
Sciences Research Center (PSRC), Department of Physics, Pachhunga University College, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram 796001, India
| | - Suman Chatterjee
- Department
of Physics, University of North Bengal, Siliguri, Darjeeling 734013, India
| | - Dibya Prakash Rai
- Physical
Sciences Research Center (PSRC), Department of Physics, Pachhunga University College, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram 796001, India
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Zhao Y, Liu M, Zhang W, Sun X, Wang W, Zhang W, Tang M, Ren W, Sun M, Feng W, Wang W. Solution-phase controlled synthesis of Cu 3NbSe 4 nanocrystals for optoelectronic applications. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:16937-16944. [DOI: 10.1039/d2dt02438a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Cu3NbSe4 nanocrystals with a cubic phase, monodisperse size and uniform shape synthesized by a facile colloidal method exhibit excellent optoelectronic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Mengxue Liu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wenqian Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Xue Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wenliang Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wenxiu Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Mengqi Tang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wenqing Ren
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Mingyu Sun
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Wenling Feng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
| | - Weihua Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
- The Key Laboratory of Life-Organic Analysis, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, Shandong, P. R. China
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Prado-Rivera R, Chang CY, Liu M, Lai CY, Radu DR. Sulvanites: The Promise at the Nanoscale. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:823. [PMID: 33807005 PMCID: PMC8005093 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The class of ternary copper chalcogenides Cu3MX4 (M = V, Nb, Ta; X = S, Se, Te), also known as the sulvanite family, has attracted attention in the past decade as featuring promising materials for optoelectronic devices, including solar photovoltaics. Experimental and theoretical studies of these semiconductors have provided much insight into their properties, both in bulk and at the nanoscale. The recent realization of sulvanites at the nanoscale opens new avenues for the compounds toward printable electronics. This review is aimed at the consideration of synthesis methods, relevant properties and the recent developments of the most important sulvanites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Daniela R. Radu
- Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA; (R.P.-R.); (C.-Y.C.); (M.L.); (C.-Y.L.)
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