New Examples of Phase Control in the Preparation of Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles and Deposition of Thin Films by AACVD from Bis(piperidinedithiocarbamato)copper(II) Complex

Bis(piperidinedithiocarbamato)copper(II) was used as a precursor for the synthesis of copper sulfide nanoparticles in solutions of different compositions derived from: dodecanethiol (DT), oleylamine (OLA) and trioctylphosphine (TOP) which can be viewed as components acting as, solvents, surfactants or ligands. The powder‐X‐Ray diffraction of the nanoparticles showed predominately roxbyite, and/or djurleite phase based on the solvent mixture used, and covellite or dignite in OLA depending on the temperature. The morphology changed from spherical to hexagonal discs with variation of the solvent from DT to DT/TOP (2:1) mixture. Thin films of copper sulfide were also deposited by the Aerosol Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition (AACVD). Djurleite was the only phase deposited by AACVD (350, 400 and 450 °C). Cubes, short rods and spherical microstructures were observed in the SEM images, with average size increasing with temperature. Copper sulfide nanoparticles and thin films were synthesized using bis(piperidinedithiocarbamato) copper(II) complex as a molecular precursor. The effect of mixture of surfactants in different compositions on phase of copper sulfide nanoparticles was investigated. Roxbyite, djurleite, digenite or covellite phases of copper sulfide were obtained by judicious choice of solvents. Thin films consisting of pure djurleite phase were deposited by the AACVD method.