Synthesis of Copper Zinc Tin Sulfide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Many solar cells are made with relatively rare (and therefore expensive) materials, and some, like lead and cadmium, are hazardous to the environment. Thus, efforts are being made to make solar cells from readily available, non-hazardous materials that retain or exceed the efficiency of those that are already being produced. One promising material is copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS). However, the solar cells made from bulk CZTS are not sufficiently efficient to replace those currently on the market. Because of this, research in the use of CZTS nanoparticles for solar cells is in its early stages. I synthesized CZTS nanoparticles, with a special emphasis on the ratio of copper to zinc (normally 2:1) and whether variation of this ratio had any effect on the electronic properties of the nanoparticles. Though additional tests are needed to ascertain the exact effect on electronic properties, there was a correlation between the Cu:Zn ratio and absorbance, strongly suggesting a variation in band gap.