Polyvinylbutyral assisted synthesis and characterization of kesterite quaternary semiconductor Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanofibers by electrospinning route

• Kesterite Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanocrystals were prepared by electrospinning.
• Annealing time-dependent studies for the kesterite Cu2ZnSnSe4 samples.
• The fiber-like morphology of Cu2ZnSnSe4 can be seen.
• Tetragonal kesterite product is a single crystal with a growth direction of [221].
• The tunable band gaps may be caused by the composition of the CZTSe.

Kesterite quaternary semiconductor Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanocrystals were successfully prepared via a relatively simple electrospinning route and characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Semiconductor Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanofibers were obtained for PVB/ Cu2ZnSnSe4 precursor at an applied voltage of 20 kV after annealing treatment at 500 °C for 2 h. The optical property of Cu2ZnSnSe4 nanocrystals was also recorded by means of UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. It was shown that the dimension effect of composites could be enhanced by increasing the electrospinning conditions (voltage, distances, concentrations, viscosity) and the CZTSe nanofibers prepared at annealing process exhibited more intense optical properties. Temperature dependent studies were conducted and the annealing of composites was found to be the key factor in determining the phase formation.