The Synthesis of CuInS2 Nanoparticles by a Simple Sonochemical Method

CuInS2 nanoparticles were synthesized by a simple sonochemical method; First, Cu nanoparticles were prepared from CuCl2 in methanol solution by a one pot reaction through the sonochemistry under multibubble sonoluminescence (MBSL) conditions. Second, the resulting Cu nanoparticles were treated with InCl3․4H2O and CH3CSNH2 (thioacetamide) at the same MBSL conditions to synthesize In2S3-coated Cu nanoparticles in methanol solution. Then, they were transformed into CuInS2 (CIS) nanoparticles of 20 ~ 40 nm size in diameter by thermal heating at 300 o C for 2 hr. The prepared CIS nanoparticles, of which band gap is 1.44 eV, were investigated by X-ray diffractometer, UV-Vis spectrophotometer, inductively coupled plasma spectrometer, and high resolution-transmission electron microscope.