Shape-controlled template-driven growth of large CuS hexagonal nanoplates

• Published in: Bulletin of materials science Vol. 43; no. 1; p. 323
• Main Authors: Sow, Chaitali, Mettela, Gangaiah, Kulkarni, Giridhar U
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangalore Indian Academy of Sciences 01.12.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aqueous solutions; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry and Materials Science; Colloiding; Copper; Copper sulfides; Engineering; Epitaxial growth; Ethanol; Glass substrates; Gold; Hexagons; Materials Science; Metal sulfides; Morphology; Nitrogen; Potassium; SAMat Focus Issue; Scanning electron microscopy; Sodium; Substrates; Surfactants; India; spiral; nanoplates; template-driven growth; Hexagonal plates; semiconductors; pillar structure
• DOI: 10.1007/s12034-020-02294-1
• ISSN: 0250-4707

Ultrathin 2D metal sulphide nanostructures have revealed extraordinary properties, applications and thus, the subject matter of current research. However, synthesis of shape-controlled large-sized (approximately few µms) plates/sheets are not well known, specifically due to the colloidal synthesis process resulting in the distribution of shape/size. Here, we report the template-assisted growth of large-sized CuS nanoplates (~0.5–9 µm) by simple wet chemistry, where the Au microplates serve as a template. The Au microplates act as seed and facilitate the Au-Cu via epitaxial growth of Cu. Later, the Au-Cu acts as the source of Cu and in presence of aqueous S 2− , the CuS hexagons form, however, the edge of the hexagons are parallel to the Au seed and thus, hinting to be controlled by the seed. Interestingly, the substrate independent Au-Cu can even provide the platform for the spiral nanoplates, by simply decorating the outer surface of the Cu with pillar-like features.