One-pot controllable synthesis of wurtzite CuInS2 nanoplates

Wurtzite CuInS2 nanoplates have been synthesized using a simple one-pot colloidal chemical method, which is a direct heating process without any injection and pre-synthesis of any metal precursors. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to characterize their morphology, crystalline phase, and composition, respectively. By changing the reaction conditions, such as reaction time, reaction temperatures and the Cu:In precursors ratio, the nanoplate thickness and composition can be tailored effectively. By monitoring the growth process of the as-obtained CuInS2 nanoplates, it found that the monoclinic Cu1.94S nanocrystals were firstly formed and gradually transformed to CuInS2 nanoplates with the increasing reaction time.