Influence of Capping Agents for Controlling Structural and Optical Properties of Copper Chalcogenide (CuS) Nanoparticles Article Swipe
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· 2024
· Open Access
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· DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2919/1/012008
· OA: W4405859634
Copper based chalcogenides have attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their exclusive properties that are tunable by the structure, stoichiometry and composition. Among the categories of chalcogenides, copper sulfide (CuS) has been the subject of extensive research as it exists in various stable phases. The present work emphasizes on the impact of capping agents: aloe vera and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on structural and optical properties of CuS (covellite) nanoparticles. Structural characterization of the as-synthesized CuS/PVA and CuS/Aloe vera nanoparticles is done using X-ray diffraction (XRD) while their morphology is examined with Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The chemical stoichiometry of synthesized CuS nanoparticles is performed using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). UV-Vis absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy are employed to study the optical properties. The XRD shows the presence of diffraction peaks for CuS. The average crystallite size calculated for the prepared CuS/PVA and CuS/Aloe vera nanoparticles using Debye Scherrer’s equation are 4.59 nm and 3.58 nm respectively. Band gap calculation from Tauc’s plot showed the corresponding direct optical band gap of the synthesized CuS/PVA and CuS/Aloe vera nanoparticles to be 2.87 eV and 3.75 eV, indicating blue-shift due to quantum confinement. Photoluminescence spectra of as-synthesized samples indicated strong emission at 467 nm for both the samples: CuS/PVA and CuS/Aloe vera. Optical properties of the as-synthesized nanoparticles showed that they are promising materials for optoelectronic devices. Aloe vera, the environment friendly and non-toxic agent is found to be a suitable “green” passivator in stabilizing CuS nanoparticles.
