Surfactant-free hydrothermal synthesis of Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) nanocrystals with photocatalytic properties

As a low cost and environment-friendly solar absorber material, Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) has aroused great interest for both photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications. The development of low temperature and green chemical route for the preparation of this quaternary sulfide compound still remains a challenge. In the present study, we present a surfactant-free hydrothermal method for the preparation of CZTS nanocrystals with an average size of 12 nm and photoactivity in hydrogen production. Ammonia was proposed to play a key role in confining the particle sizes. The properties of the CZTS nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, Raman, XPS, TEM, and UV-vis absorption. The photocatalytic properties of the as-synthesized CZTS nanoparticles were tested both in thin films and in slurry systems.