Environment friendly nanoparticles of quaternary compound Cu0.5MgxSnS4 for possible photovoltaic and photo-catalytic applications

Environment friendly non-toxic copper magnesium tin sulfide (CMTS i.e. Cu0.5MgxSnS4) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized using simple co-precipitation method. Structural and optical properties of CMTS nanoparticles have been investigated using x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) for its possible photovoltaic and photo-catalytic applications. We have demonstrated the favorable structural and optical characteristics of CMTS-NPs, with an ideal energy band gap of 1.5 eV for photovoltaic applications. In addition to photovoltaic application, these nanostructures are proved to as outstanding photocatalyst in photo-degradation owing to the facts that they are low-cost, non-toxic and more efficient in the absorption across a major section of the solar spectrum.