Green Synthesis of CuInS2/ZnS Nanocrystals with High Photoluminescence and Stability

Highly photoluminescent core/shell CuInS2/ZnS (CIS/ZnS) nanocrystals were synthesized. Zinc acetate and dodecanethiol in octadecene solvent were used for shell growth. The structure and composition of QDs were investigated with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The crystal phase of CIS was tetragonal chalcopyrite. Based on X-ray diffraction analysis, it has been concluded that the growth of the ZnS shell did not affect the phase structure of CuInS2 (CIS). Photoluminescence (PL) quantumyield (QY) of CIS increased to 80% after epitaxial growth of ZnS, and the PL emission wavelength can be feasibly tuned to be in the range of 560-710 nm by adjusting shell growth time. The superb photostability with high PL QY of CIS/ZnS nanocrystals is ascribed to the gradient of the chemical composition that has been formed between the core and the shell.