Synthesis and Characterization of Bournonite PbCuSbS₃ Nanocrystals

Abstract

PbCuSbS 3 nanocrystals were synthesized by a colloidal synthesis route and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction spectroscopy (EDS). PbCuSbS 3 particle sizes of 5 nm, 150 nm, and 200 nm were obtained by adjusting the reaction time. The optical band-gap, thermal stability, heat capacity, and magnetic susceptibility of PbCuSbS 3 were also investigated. PbCuSbS 3 is diamagnetic with an optical band-gap of 1.31 eV and a Debye temperature of 157 K. This study aims to expand and broaden our knowledge of PbCuSbS 3 in light of the recent interest in multinary chalcogenides for energy-related applications. AbstractPbCuSbS 3 nanocrystals were synthesized by a colloidal synthesis route and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction spectroscopy (EDS). PbCuSbS 3 particle sizes of 5 nm, 150 nm, and 200 nm were obtained by adjusting the reaction time. The optical band-gap, thermal stability, heat capacity, and magnetic susceptibility of PbCuSbS 3 were also investigated. PbCuSbS 3 is diamagnetic with an optical band-gap of 1.31 eV and a Debye temperature of 157 K. This study aims to expand and broaden our knowledge of PbCuSbS 3 in light of the recent interest in multinary chalcogenides for energy-related applications. _____________________________________________________________________________________ *

Candidate photoferroic absorber materials for thin-film solar cells from naturally occurring minerals: enargite, stephanite, and bournonite

“…The indirect gap is in quite good agreement with experimental values. 41,86 The conduction band minimum features a spin splitting due to SOC, which can be seen from comparing the plots of results before and aer the inclusion of SOC along the G-Y, shown in Fig. 11a.…”

“…44 Consequently, works on the synthesis of bournonite are beginning to emerge. 86 A study of two natural samples of bournonite 40 reported n-type conductivity, a direct gap of 1.29 eV, and an indirect band gap of 1.17 eV in one sample, and the same direct band gap and a lower indirect band gap of 1.01 eV in another.…”

A computational assessment of the electronic, thermoelectric, and defect properties of bournonite (CuPbSbS3) and related substitutions

“…21 Although they measured a Seebeck coefficient as high as 480 uV/K at 560 K, the thermoelectric performance was hindered by a low intrinsic electrical conductivity. 21 Magnetic measurement on PbCuSbS 3 nanocrystals fabricated by Wei et al 22 indicated diamagnetic behavior; furthermore, they measured an optical band gap of 1.3 eV as well as the heat capacity. Dong et al 23 indicated that stereochemically active lone-pair s 2 electrons are a source of anharmonic phonon scattering resulting in the thermal conductivity as low as 0.81 W/m•K at 300 K and 0.48 W/m•K at 600 K in bournonite and also suggested thermoelectricity as a potential application of bournonite.…”

Solution Deposition of a Bournonite CuPbSbS3 Semiconductor Thin Film from the Dissolution of Bulk Materials with a Thiol-Amine Solvent Mixture

“…8−10 One of the resulting materials that satisfied the selection criteria out of the naturally occurring multinary minerals that were screened was bournonite CuPbSbS 3 . Bournonite CuPbSbS 3 is a sulfosalt mineral (Strunz 2.GA.50), which crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pmn2 1 space group with experimentally reported band gaps from 1.20 eV 11 to 1.31 eV 12 that are optimal for single junction solar cells. Structurally, bournonite is derivative of the naturally occurring stibnite (Sb 2 S 3 ) structure, where the Pb 2+ cations alternately occupy the Sb 3+ positions, and Cu + occupies tetrahedral holes to charge compensate (Figure 1).…”