Solid state synthesis and spectral investigations of nanostructure SnS2

• It is intended to prepare nano sized SnS2 particles by solid state synthesis at low temperature.
• The functional groups and the chemical bonding of Sn–S are confirmed by FT-IR and FT-Raman.
• Tuning of optical band gap by controlling the size of SnS2 shows its suitability for solar cells and opto-electronic devices.
• The band gap (3.41 eV) is expected to facilitate electron injection from photo-excited dye molecules in dye sensitized solar cells.

Nanometer sized SnS2 particles were synthesised by solid state reaction between tin chloride and thiourea in air at 150–350 °C. The structural, morphological and optical properties were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR, FT-Raman, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), photoluminescence (PL) and UV–Vis spectra. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the product was indexed to the hexagonal phase of SnS2. Crystallite size, microstrain and dislocation density were evaluated from the XRD data. EDS analysis indicated that the elemental ratio was similar to tin disulphide (SnS2). The blue shift in the absorption edge was observed from the UV–Vis spectrum. The photoluminescence spectra showed two emission peaks corresponding to blue and red emission.

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