Abstract

Copper composite materials have attracted wide attention for energy applications. Especially CuInS_2 has a desirable direct band gap of 1.5 eV, which is well matched with the solar spectrum. CuInS_2 nanoparticles could make it possible to develop color-tunable CuInS_2 nanoparticle emitter in the near-infrared region (NIR) for energy application and bio imaging sensors. In this paper, CuInS_2 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by thermo-decomposition methods. Surface modification of CuInS_2 nanoparticles were carried out with various semiconductor materials (CdS, ZnS) for enhanced optical properties. Surface modification and silica coating of hydrophobic nanoparticles could be dispersed in polar solvent for potential applications. Their optical properties were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The structures of silica coated CuInS_2 were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).

• Keywords: CuInS_2;Quantum dot;Semiconductor;Surface modification;Silica coating;