Structural, chemical and optical properties of the polyethylene-copper sulfide composite thin films synthesized using polythionic acid as sulfur source

Several crystalline copper sulfide phases (spionkopite, anilite, digenite, djurleite, chalcocite) were obtained in as synthesized samples (PE-CuxS) and elucidated using XRD. Thickness of the films obtained ranged from several microns to ∼18 μm and depended on the Cu(II/I) exposure time. Bandgap of the materials obtained was measured and ranged from 1.88 to 1.17 eV. Importantly, heating samples, many copper sulfide crystalline phase containing films at 100 °C in inert atmosphere invariably resulted in a single copper sulfide, anilite (Cu1.75S), phase.