Nanocrystalline Skinnerite (Cu3SbS3) Prepared by High-Energy Milling in a Laboratory and an Industrial Mill and Its Optical and Optoelectrical Properties

Abstract

Copper, antimony and sulfur in elemental form were applied for one-pot solid-state mechanochemical synthesis of skinnerite (Cu3SbS3) in a laboratory mill and an industrial mill. This synthesis was completed after 30 min of milling in the laboratory mill and 120 min in the industrial mill, as corroborated by X-ray diffraction. XRD analysis confirmed the presence of pure monoclinic skinnerite prepared in the laboratory mill and around 76% monoclinic skinnerite, with the secondary phases famatinite (Cu3SbS4; 15%), and tetrahedrite (Cu11.4Sb4S13; 8%), synthesized in the industrial mill. The nanocrystals were agglomerated into micrometer-sized grains in both cases. Both samples were nanocrystalline, as was confirmed with HRTEM. The optical band gap of the Cu3SbS3 prepared in the laboratory mill was determined to be 1.7 eV with UV–Vis spectroscopy. Photocurrent responses verified with I–V measurements under dark and light illumination and Cu3SbS3 nanocrystals showed ~45% enhancement of the photoresponsive current at a forward voltage of 0.6 V. The optical and optoelectrical properties of the skinnerite (Cu3SbS3) prepared via laboratory milling are interesting for photovoltaic applications.

The effect of boron doping on the optical, morphological and structural properties of Cu3SbS3thin films preparedviaspin coating

“…The development of cost-effective photovoltaic solar cells requires sustainable high-efficiency absorber materials that can be produced using inexpensive, non-toxic and soil-abundant elements, as well as straightforward manufacturing techniques. 1–5 Although a record efficiency (26.7%) has been achieved with solar cells based on silicon (Si) technology, which dominates 90% of today's photovoltaic (PV) market, the high cost and material consumption of Si technology (for both mono- and poly-crystalline cells) necessitate the search for new technologies. 6,7 As a result of ongoing studies, organic–inorganic hybrid, organic and inorganic thin-film solar cell varieties have been developed.…”

Mechanochemically Synthesized Chalcogenide Cu3BiS3 Nanocrystals in an Environmentally Friendly Manner for Solar Cell Applications

“…Moreover, the mechanochemically synthesized compounds are composed of morphologically inhomogeneous, weakly crystallized and structurally disordered nanoparticles. The mechanochemical solid-state approach has also been successfully applied for ternary chalcogenide synthesis by our group [30][31][32][33][34].…”