Synthesis and Nanostructures of Metal Selenide Precursors for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin-Film Solar Cells

Large-scale aqueous synthesis of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 nanoparticles for photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin

Environmentally friendly synthesis of Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) nanoparticles (NPs) is pivotal for producing sustainable photocatalytic compounds to be applied in the remediation of contaminants of emerging concern from water. To this end, we herein report an aqueous synthesis of CIGS NPs, followed by annealing, to give access to phase-pure CIGS crystals with chalcopyrite structure and no signs of secondary phases. Morphological and compositional characterization revealed NPs with an average size of 10-35 nm and uniform distribution of Cu, In, Ga, and Se elements. In addition, the first aqueous large-scale synthesis of CIGS NPs is developed by up-scaling the synthesis procedure, resulting in 5 g of highly crystalline nanoparticles exhibiting an ideal optical band gap of 1.14 eV. The as-synthesized NPs proved the ability to remove 71 and 83% of a contaminant of emerging concern, ciprofloxacin (CIP), under ultraviolet (UV) and visible (Vis) radiations, respectively.

CuInTe₂ Nanocrystals: Shape and Size Control, Formation Mechanism and Application, and Use as Photovoltaics

We report on the synthesis of CuInTe₂ nanoparticles and their function in photovoltaic equipment, such as solar cells. Under certain synthesis conditions, the CuInTe₂ nanocrystals form shape with nanocrystals, nanorods or nanocubes. It was found that CuTe nanocrystals could be converted to CuInTe₂ by addition of an In reactant. CuInTe₂ nanorods were synthesized using this method.