Cu2XSnY4 nanoparticles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10177263-B2
Application number	US-201615088579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Jan 8, 2019
Grant date	Jan 8, 2019

Abstract

Materials and methods for preparing Cu 2 XSnY 4 nanoparticles, wherein X is Zn, Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn or Fe and Y is S or Se, (CXTY) are disclosed herein. The nanoparticles can be used to make layers for use in thin film photovoltaic (PV) cells. The CXTY materials are prepared by a colloidal synthesis in the presence of labile organo-chalcogens. The organo-chalcogens serves as both a chalcogen source for the nanoparticles and as a capping ligand for the nanoparticles.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A nanoparticle comprising:
a semiconductor nanocrystal having an outer surface, the semiconductor nanocrystal having the formula Cu 2 XSnY 4 , where X is Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn, or Fe and Y is S or Se; and
a surface coating on the outer surface of the semiconductor nanocrystal and consisting of labile organo-chalcogen ligands.

2. The nanoparticle recited in claim 1 wherein the labile organo-chalcogen ligands comprise 1-octanethiol, 1-dodecanethiol, t-dodecanethiol, 2-naphthalenethiol, 1-octane selenol and/or 1-dodecane selenol.

3. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is formed from a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture consisting of a copper precursor, an X precursor, a tin precursor, and one or more primary chalcogen precursor, the one or more primary chalcogen precursor comprising the labile organo-chalcogen ligand.

4. The nanoparticle of claim 3 , wherein the primary chalcogen precursor is a solvent of the reaction mixture.

5. The nanoparticle of claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticle is formed from a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture consisting of a copper precursor, an X precursor, a tin precursor, a non-coordinating solvent, and one or more primary chalcogen precursor, the one or more primary chalcogen precursor comprising the labile organo-chalcogen ligand.

6. The nanoparticle of claim 5 , wherein the non-coordinating solvent is any one of dichloromethane and 1-octadecene.

7. A nanoparticle consisting of:
a semiconductor material having the formula Cu 2 XSnY 4 , where X is Cd, Hg, Ni, Co, Mn, or Fe and Y is S or Se; and
a surface coating consisting of labile organo-chalcogen ligands.

8. The nanoparticle recited in claim 7 wherein the labile organo-chalcogen ligands comprise 1-octanethiol, 1-dodecanethiol, t-dodecanethiol, 2-naphthalenethiol, 1-octane selenol and/or 1-dodecane selenol.

9. The nanoparticle recited in claim 7 , wherein the nanoparticle is formed from a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture consisting of a copper precursor, an X precursor, a tin precursor, and one or more primary chalcogen precursor, the one or more primary chalcogen precursor comprising the labile organo-chalcogen ligand.

10. The nanoparticle of claim 9 , wherein the primary chalcogen precursor is a solvent of the reaction mixture.

11. The nanoparticle of claim 7 , wherein the nanoparticle is formed from a reaction mixture, the reaction mixture consisting of a copper precursor, an X precursor, a tin precursor, a non-coordinating solvent, and one or more primary chalcogen precursor, the one or more primary chalcogen precursor comprising the labile organo-chalcogen ligand.

12. The nanoparticle of claim 11 , wherein the non-coordinating solvent is any one of dichloromethane and 1-octadecene.

Assignees

• Nanoco Technologies Ltd
• Nanoco Technologies Ltd

Inventors

• Gresty Nathalie
• Harris James
• Masala Ombretta
• Pickett Nigel
• Wylde Laura
• Newman Christopher

Classifications

• H01B1/12

  organic substances {(organic macromolecular compounds or compositions C08)} · CPC title

• C01P2004/64

  Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer · CPC title

• H01B1/10

  sulfides · CPC title

• C01P2002/88

  by thermal analysis data, e.g. TGA, DTA, DSC · CPC title

• H01B1/06

  mainly consisting of other non-metallic substances · CPC title