Colloidal synthesis of Cu2SnSe3 nanocrystals

While Cu2SnSe3 material has various potential applications including acousto-optics and photovoltaics, preparation methods of this material only in a bulk form or a thin film have been reported so far. In this work, for the first time, we demonstrate that highly crystalline Cu2SnSe3 nanoparticles can be prepared via colloidal synthesis. The Cu2SnSe3 nanocrystals have a cubic crystal structure with a lattice parameter of 5.68Å, an average diameter of 18nm, and an atomic ratio of approximately 2:1:3. The nanocrystals can be stably suspended in solution for several months. The suspended nanocrystalline form of Cu2SnSe3 could potentially be useful for printable acousto-optic and photovoltaic applications.