Nano-structured Bimetallic (Ni,Co) Sulphide Complex, Synthesis Characterization and Thin Film Deposition by PVD Assisted Technique

Abstract

Transition metal sulfides have attracted great attention owing to their outstanding properties and varied applications in photovoltaic devices. Ternary nickel cobalt sulfides are materials that have been considered as good electrode material for high performance energy storage devices owing to their higher electrochemical activity and capacity as compared to mono-metal sulfides. NiCo2S4 compound has been synthesized by annealing of its respective metal diethyl dithiocarbamtes (Cobalt and Nickel) complexes. Furthermore the compound formed was characterized by UVVis absorption which reveals that C10H20NiN2S4 has λmax at 290 nm while C10H20CoN2S4 has λmax at 321 nm and NiCo2S4 at 291 nm, FTIR of cobalt diethyl dithiocarbamate showing bands at 1487cm-1 and 1064 cm-1 while nickel diethyl dithiocarbamate showing bands at 1519 cm-1 and 993 cm-1 and NiCo2S4 showing sulfide stretchings at 447 cm-1 and 619 cm-1, in XRD major peaks were at 2θ=18Eš, 24Eš, 31.5Eš, 33Eš, 41Eš) while SEM confirmed the cubic structure of crystals. All the results indicated the synthesis of crystalline nickel cobalt sulfide. Thin films of nickel cobalt sulfide were made using PVD technique and calculated band gap was found to be 2.4 eV. Thus it is suggested that compound formed is excellent material for use in supercapacitors and also as an electrode material.