Morphology and phase-controlled growth of CuInS2 nanoparticles through polyol based heating up synthesis approach

The properties of colloidal nanoparticles are the key parameters in the fabrication of inexpensive solar cells based on the solution methods. In this study, Different nanostructures of CuInS2 (CIS) were successfully synthesized by a heating-up facile polyol-based method in which, polyols including diethylene glycol (DEG), ethylene glycol (EG), and glycerol (Gly) were chosen as both the solvent and the reductant. It is found that not only the indium precursor type but also the polyol solvent are greatly effective on the size, morphology and crystal phase of this sulfide ternary composition. Briefly, the heating-up synthesis using In(acac)3 in DEG and Gly media, created nano-sized particles that arranged in a wurtzite crystalline structure. Resulted CIS particles from other indium salts are not suitable for making nanoparticle-based inks, since the micron-sized agglomerated particles are obtained which lack proper dispersion behavior for making inks. [Display omitted] •Different nanostructures of CuInS2 were successfully synthesized by a heating-up facile polyol-based method.•The polyol solvent and indium salt have greatly effective on the size, morphology and crystal phase of CuInS2 NPs.•Nano-sized particles are obtained only by the use of In(acac)3 in diethylene glycol and glycerol solvents.