Influence of Morphology‐Controlled Cu2ZnSnSe4 Nanoparticles for Environmental Remediation Process under Visible Light

• Published in: physica status solidi (b) Vol. 259; no. 2
• Main Authors: Sai Prasanna, Meenakshisundaram, Imla Mary, Charles, Senthilkumar, Muthu, Manobalaji, Gandhi, Moorthy Babu, Sridharan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.02.2022
• Subjects: CZTSe nanoparticles; hot-injection method; mass spectroscopy; nanoflakes; photocatalysis
• ISSN: 0370-1972; 1521-3951
• DOI: 10.1002/pssb.202100309

Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) nanoparticles (NPs) are successfully synthesized via cost‐effective hot‐injection process and morphologically modified by biphasic ligand exchange method. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate kesterite phase for the as‐prepared CZTSe NPs. Scherrer equation is used to evaluate the average crystallite size (≈30 nm). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal that the interconnected nanoflakes structure combines to produce hierarchical CZTSe nanoflower. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results confirm the replacement of native long‐chain ligand over the surface of NPs with inorganic salts. The optical studies reveal that the CZTSe NPs have a large absorbance over the visible region with optimum bandgap value of 1.23 eV. The photocatalytic studies confirm the high efficiency of CZTSe NPs in degrading the methylene blue (MB) dye within 120 min under visible light irradiation. The intermediate products formed during the degradation of MB have been analyzed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). The photocatalytic degradation mechanism is discussed. Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) nanoparticles are synthesized in nanoflake morphology using hot injection method and the surfaces are modified with ligand exchange process. The photocatalytic analysis on methylene blue (MB) solution under visible light illumination showed over 70% degradation of MB within 120 min. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry results elucidate the MB dye degradation mechanism with CZTSe nanoflakes as photocatalysts.