Homogeneous Microstructure Research Articles

Construction and properties of an amyloid fiber ferulic acid chitosan double network hydrogel and its inhibition of AGEs activity

An amyloid fiber-ferulic acid/chitosan-ferulic acid (AF-FA/CS-FA) double network hydrogel (DN) was synthesized in two steps after prefabricating micronetworks. Ferulic acid (FA) and laccase were used to form protein and polysaccharide micronetworks, respectively. Then, AF-FA and CS-FA were induced to form covalent cross-links using genipin (GP). The phase penetration behavior of the two biopolymers in different proportions could form a homogeneous microstructure. The higher structural complexity and mechanical integrity brought by this structure may be the main reason that it improved the controlled release ability of the gels. The results from a loading capacity experiment and infrared spectra showed that the DN had acquired the AF-FA network to provide a higher load rate (9.50%), possibly because adding the polysaccharide network had increased the proportion of β-sheet structures beneficial to loading FA. The DN hydrogel containing 0.7 wt% CS-FA (DN70) showed the most tightly ordered combination of protein and polysaccharide, which had the highest storage modulus (2552.82 Pa) and the lowest solubility (91.00%). The thermal and photodegradation constants of DN70 were reduced by 75.00% and 58.29%, respectively, compared to the FA monomer. The formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) was reduced by 44.75% in the cake with the addition of 0.5% (w/w) DN70. These results suggest that the AF-FA/CS-FA DN can improve the range of FA applications in food products and provide an attractive strategy for polyphenols as AGEs inhibitors in baked goods.

Preparation and characterization of toughened polyurea aerogels incorporating linear long‐chain in the structure

AbstractIn order to reduce the brittleness of polyurea (PUA) aerogel, reactive incorporation of linear long‐chain poly‐1,4‐butanediol bis(4‐aminobenzoate) (P1000) into PUA backbone was made by reacting mixed diamines with triisocyanates. The mixed diamines were composed of 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylmethane (MDA) and P1000. PUA aerogels were produced by freeze‐drying. The effect of P1000 percentage and solid content on the properties of PUA aerogel was investigated. It was found that the little addition of P1000 has a reinforcing and toughening effect on PUA aerogels, where the samples maintain a high extent of hydrogen bonding and low linear shrinkage, with a more compact and homogeneous microstructure. The resulting aerogels show apparent density between 0.05 and 0.18 g/cm3, surface area between 41 and 179 m2/g, and initial decomposition temperature of about 300°C. At 10% solid content and 15 mol % P1000 (in mixed diamines), the overall performance is optimal, with low apparent density (0.113 g/cm3), low thermal conductivity (0.021 W/m K), and high modulus (compressive modulus 7.4 MPa; flexural modulus 18.8 MPa).

Gradient nanostructuring via compositional means

Nanocrystalline metals are inherently unstable against thermal and mechanical stimuli, commonly resulting in significant grain growth. Also, while these metals exhibit substantial Hall-Petch strengthening, they tend to suffer from low ductility and fracture toughness. With regard to the grain growth problem, alloying elements have been employed to stabilize the microstructure through kinetic and/or thermodynamic mechanisms. And to address the ductility challenge, spatially-graded grain size distributions have been developed to facilitate heterogeneous deformation modes: high-strength at the surface and plastic deformation in the bulk. In the present work, we combine these two strategies and present a new methodology for the fabrication of gradient nanostructured metals via compositional means. We have demonstrated that annealing a compositionally stepwise Pt-Au film with a homogenous microstructure results in a film with a spatial microstructural gradient, exhibiting grains which can be twice as wide in the bulk compared to the outer surfaces. Additionally, phase-field modeling was employed for the comparison with experimental results and for further investigation of the competing mechanisms of Au diffusion and thermally induced grain growth. This fabrication method offers an alternative approach for developing the next generation of microstructurally stable gradient nanostructured films.

Processing and properties of reactively densified TiB2-AlN-hBN conductive ceramics with tunable compositions

Reactive sintering has been widely utilized to densify ceramics. Although the technology has numerous advantages, the composition of as-sintered ceramics is hard to be adjusted unless additional products are added. In this work, a novel solid-state route based on the reactions among TiN, Al and B were proposed to consolidate TiB2-AlN-hBN ceramics (TAB) with tunable compositions (hBN ≤ 42 vol%, AlN ≤ 45 vol%). Dense TAB with high relative density, refined grain size and homogeneous microstructure were obtained via spark plasma sintering at 1800 °C and 60 MPa. It was found that exothermic reactions between the reactants could be ignited during heating, and the order of temperature at which the combustion process occurred was just opposite to the sequence of adiabatic temperature for individual reactions. Effects of hBN and AlN amounts on the densification, microstructure, mechanical properties, machinability and electrical resistivity of as-sintered ceramics were comprehensively investigated. Compared to AlN, hBN content played a more obvious role on those properties. As hBN contents increased from 0 to 42 vol%, the flexural strength, fracture toughness, Vickers hardness and modulus of TAB continuously decreased. TAB with hBN amounts ≥ 13 vol% exhibited better machinability with surface roughness lower than 2.9 µm after machining. Nevertheless, their electrical resistivity values at room temperature fluctuated in a narrow range between 43 μΩ·cm and 83 μΩ·cm, irrelevant with the hBN amounts.

Coordinated control of microstructure homogeneity and mechanical properties in FeCrAl alloy

The effect of quenching treatment on the structure and tensile properties of FeCrAl rolled-state alloy was systematically investigated to optimize its strength-ductility trade-off. After quenching at 960 °C for 400 s, the inhomogeneous weave gradient consisting of equiaxed and columnar grains in the rolled plate was transformed into uniform equiaxed grains, while the elongation rate of the FeCrAl alloy reached 24 % from 16 %, a large number of ductile dimples appeared in the tensile fracture, as well as a 50 % improvement in ductility. This work highlights the potential of FeCrAl alloys to reach the recovery stage at the heat treatment limit and improve the structure homogeneity to obtain optimized mechanical properties. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the industrial production of the FeCrAl alloy.

Effects of constrained groove pressing and temperature-assisted ultrasonic shot peening on microstructure and mechanical properties of a two-phase Mg–Li alloy

Two passes of constrained groove pressing (CGP) were conducted on a two-phase Mg–Li alloy followed by temperature-assisted ultrasonic shot peening (TA-USP) with different peening durations and temperatures. The effects of TA-USP and CGP on microstructural evolution and mechanical properties were investigated in details. Surface gradient microstructure including nanocrystalline and partial amorphization is introduced by TA-USP. Grain refinement is more significant with longer durations and lower temperatures. Pretreatment by CGP before TA-USP introduces fine and homogeneous microstructure in the alloy due to severe plastic deformation. The average grain sizes of α-Mg and β-Li are refined from the as-annealed 31.6 μm and 12.9 μm to 2.5 μm and 2.2 μm, respectively. The depth of USP-affected region increases with the increase of peening duration and temperature, and a depth of about 300 μm is achieved by direct TA-USP at room temperature with 400 s. The microstructure gradient is reduced at elevated temperatures. The hardness and strength increase while the ductility decreases with the increase of peening duration. The decrease in hardness with the increase of peening temperature is more significant than peening duration. Compared with direct TA-USP, pretreatment by CGP before TA-USP can obviously enhance the surface strengthening. When processed by TA-USP at 200 °C with 100 s, the tensile strength and yield strength increase from 141.9 MPa and 106.2 MPa to 158.3 MPa and 134.7 MPa, respectively. The elongation to failure decreases from 29.1% to an acceptable value of about 16.1%.

Preparation of Polyester/ Micro Eggshell Fillers Composite as Natural Surface Coating

To fabricate an inexpensive surface coating with excellent mechanical properties with good water resistance and thermal diffusion, white eggshell fibers with particle size (~1micrometer) has been added by different weight percentages (1,2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 %) to Unsaturated Polyester. The weight ratio (4%) of eggshell powder is a good ratio to be added to polyester to improve its mechanical properties, such as hardness, impact strength, and wear resistance. The hardness was improved by (3.75%); impact strength has the same value as polyester, flexural strength by (8.43%) and high improvement in wear resistance (74.4%), as well as to get further improvements in mechanical properties of polyester, the eggshell powder was added with (5%), where the hardness was improved by (3.63%), impact strength improved by (~23%) and the flexural strength by (23.23%)but the wear resistance by (2.15%) only . The resistance to thermal of polyester was improved to (9.95%) and (13.77%) by adding the eggshell powder with ratios (of 4%) and (5%), respectively. (Polyester/ 4% eggshells). And (Polyester/ 5% eggshells) composites have a higher resistance to water diffusion after being immersed in water between (1-4 weeks). The electron microscope image was used to observe the degree of homogeneity in polyester composite microstructure, which improved the results mechanical and thermal results.

(Ba0.6Sr0.4)TiO3/PEEK composites modified by polyethersulfone with low dielectric constant and high dielectric tunability under DC bias

Ceramic/polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composites show a wide range of applications and have attracted extensive interest in the scientific community due to their outstanding dielectric and mechanical characteristics. However, the interface connection between the ceramic and PEEK is a vital issue that must be addressed to improve their physical and electrical properties. In this work, the polyethersulfone resin (PES) was selected as interface modifier between barium strontium titanate (Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3, BST) and PEEK. Cold-pressing sintering was used to create BST/PEEK materials with superior dielectric frequency stability and dielectric tunability. The effects of PES content on the morphology and dielectric characteristics of PES modified BST/PEEK materials were investigated. The results showed PES could improve the dispersion of BST particles in polymer. The dielectric constant, dielectric tunability, and breakdown strength increased first, then reduced as PES content increased. The composite had the most homogeneous microstructure and the best dielectric properties when the PES content was 7.5 vol%. The frequency dispersion factor F(x) was much smaller than that of other ceramic/polymer composites reported. In addition, the dielectric tunability of the composites could reach a relatively high level (34.18%) while the dielectric constant was as low as 14. The dielectric tunable efficiency (TuE) was proposed to evaluate the property of low dielectric constant and high dielectric tunability under DC bias. The TuE of PES modified BST/PEEK composites show the highest value comparing with reported dielectric tunable composites. This research laid the path for the development of a novel ceramic/polymer composite with good interface bonding and high dielectric tunability.

Solid State Processing of BCZT Piezoceramics Using Ultra Low Synthesis and Sintering Temperatures.

Lead-free (Ba0.92Ca0.08) (Ti0.95 Zr0.05) O3 (BCZT) ceramics were prepared by a solid-state route (SSR) using ultra-low synthesis (700 °C/30 min and 700 °C/2 h) and sintering temperatures (from 1150 °C to 1280 °C), due to prior activation and homogenization by attrition milling of the starting high purity raw materials for 6 h before the synthesis and of the calcined powders for 3 h before the sintering. The comparison of the thermal analysis of the mixture of the starting raw materials and the same mixture after 6 h attrition milling allowed to evidence the mechanisms of activation, resulting in a significant decrease of the perovskite formation temperature (from 854 °C down to 582 °C). The secondary phases that limit the functional properties of the ceramic and their evolution with the sintering conditions were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which allowed the design of a two-step sintering method to eliminate them. A pure tetragonal BCZT perovskite phase (P4mm, c/a = 1.004) and homogeneous ceramic microstructure was obtained for synthesis at 700 °C for 2 h and sintering with the use of a two-step sintering treatment (900 °C for 3 h and 1280 °C for 6 h). The best electromechanical properties achieved were d33 = 455 pC/N, kp = 35%, Qm = 155.

Investigation of the microstructure, corrosion resistance and hardness of bone particle reinforced cast iron for engine blocks application in automotive and marine industries

This paper aims to examine the microstructure, corrosion resistance and hardness of bone particles reinforced cast iron for advanced applications in marine and automotive industries, especially for the fabrication of engine blocks. In most marine and automobile industries, cast irons remain the major material used for the manufacture of engine components such as flywheels, piston rings, cylinder heads and engine blocks. Nevertheless, several categories of cast iron possess poor impact strength, low corrosion resistance, easy crack propagation and brittle failure over time. As a result of these challenges, cast iron scraps melted and reinforced with particles from goat bone. Samples of reinforced and unreinforced cast iron were produced. The microstructure of the samples was studied using SEM/EDS (scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscope) and XRD (X-ray diffractometer), while the corrosion rate of the samples was studied using potentiodynamic polarization technique following ASTM G102 standard and using 3.65% NaCl solution as the corrosive medium. The SEM micrographs indicated that the goat bone particle (GBP) reinforced cast iron possessed more refined microstructure, smoother morphology and microstructural homogeneity. For the unreinforced cast iron sample (control), the corrosion rate (Cr) and Brinell hardness of 1.427 ​mm year−1 and 275.3 HBN, respectively. On the other hand, the goat bone particle (GBP) reinforced cast iron samples possessed a Cr and hardness ranging from 0.510 to 1.006 ​mm year−1 and 288.9–297.4 HBN, respectively. These results indicated that the goat particle reinforced cast iron sample (control) possessed higher passivation and superior indentation resistance relative to the unreinforced cast iron sample.

Microstructural response and mechanical properties of α-precipitated Ti–5Al–5Mo–5V–3Cr alloy processed by high-pressure torsion

The aged Ti–5Al–5Mo–5V–3Cr alloy which is composed of acicular α precipitates and β matrix was processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT). The different flow behaviors of these two phases have a great influence on the grain refinement process. The homogenization of microstructure and microhardness along the radial direction is very slow, which is reached after HPT processing of 100 revolutions. And the α precipitates might enhance the refinement. It is shown that HPT processing produces an ultrafine microstructure with a grain size of less than 50 nm and a high dislocation density of approximately 8 × 1016 m−2. The microhardness evolution as a function of equivalent strain follows a bell-shaped curve, for which the hardness initially increases with strain, reaches a peak value (∼450 Hv) and then decreases to a saturated condition (∼413 Hv). The refined β gains, the high density of dislocations and the α grains with a certain size contributes to the peak hardness. But the strengthening caused by α phase will weaken as increasing the strain.

Mechanism of Layer Formation during Gas Nitriding of Remelted Ledeburitic Surface Layers on Unalloyed Cast Irons

Unalloyed cast iron materials exhibit low tribological and corrosive resistance. In this respect, nitriding has a wide range of applications for steels. In the case of cast iron, the advantageous properties of nitrided layers are impaired by the presence of graphite. Electron beam remelting of cast iron surfaces prior to nitriding removes graphite. The homogeneous ledeburitic microstructure within the approx. 1 mm-thick remelted layer enables the formation of a dense compound layer during subsequent nitriding. The main objective of this study is to investigate the nitriding mechanism of unalloyed ledeburitic microstructures. Due to the complex relationships, investigations were carried out on both conventional ferritic and pearlitic cast irons and Fe-based model alloys containing one to four additional alloying elements, i.e., C, Si, Mn and Cu. The iron (carbo-)nitride composition (γ’, ε) of this compound layer depends on the gas nitriding conditions, the chemical composition of the substrates and the microstructural constituents. As a result, a schematic model of the nitriding mechanism is developed that includes the effects of the nitriding parameters and alloy composition on the phase composition of the nitriding layer. These findings enable targeted parameter selection and a further optimization of both the process and the properties.

Microstructures, thermal and mechanical properties of Al–Si-CNT composites for thermal management applications

In this work, a novel electronic packaging material, Al–Si-CNT composite, is fabricated by ball milling and hot extrusion of Al20Si powder blended with different amount of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The influences of CNTs content on the microstructures, thermal properties and mechanical properties of the composites are investigated. The ball milling produces flake powders in which CNTs, accompanied by refined Si particles and in-situ formed k'-Al2O3, are uniformly dispersed in the Al matrix. The homogenous microstructures are subsequently inherited by the extruded composites. Compared to the Al20Si sample without CNT addition, the CNT-contained composites are more thermally stable and resistant to structural coarsening caused by Ostwald ripening effect. The composite with 2 wt % CNT content exhibits the best properties among all samples. It has a high tensile yield strength ∼235 MPa, and low thermal expansion coefficient ∼16.8 × 10−6 K−1 (at 50–400 °C) as well as acceptable thermal conductivity ∼102 Wm−1K−1 (at 50–400 °C). This study using hybrid reinforcements Si and CNTs to enhance the Al matrix composite is inspiring to design high performance thermal management materials.

Crystal structure and hydrogen storage properties of AB-type TiZrNbCrFeNi high-entropy alloy

The crystal structure and hydrogen storage properties of a novel equiatomic TiZrNbCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) were studied. The alloy, which had an AB-type configuration (A: elements forming hydride, B: elements with low chemical affinity with hydrogen), was selected with the aid of thermodynamic calculations employed by the CALPHAD method. The arc-melted AB-type TiZrNbCrFeNi alloy showed the presence of two C14 Laves phases in different fractions but with slight differences in unit cell parameters. Hydrogen storage properties investigated through pressure-composition-temperature absorption and desorption isotherms at different temperatures revealed that the alloy could absorb 1.5 wt% of hydrogen at room temperature without applying any activation procedure, but full desorption was not obtained. At 473 K, the alloy was able to reversibly absorb and fully desorb 1.1 wt% of hydrogen. After full hydrogenation at 473 K, the initial metallic C14 Laves phases were converted into their respective Laves phase hydrides. Under cycling, the fractions of two C14 Laves phases changed while one of the phases was more active to accommodate the hydrogen atoms. After dehydrogenation at 473 K, the alloy presented a single C14 Laves phase. The microstructural analysis, before and after cycling, showed a very well homogeneous microstructure and good distribution of elements.

Chitosan-based packaging films with an integrated antimicrobial peptide: Characterization, in vitro release and application to fresh pork preservation

Chitosan (CS) films were developed incorporating peptide HX-12C. The films were studied to determine their microstructures, physical properties, release properties of peptide HX-12C and functional properties. The results indicated that there may be hydrogen bonding interactions between CS and peptide HX-12C, thereby creating a homogeneous internal microstructure and lower crystallinity (10.8–12.8 %). Compared with CS film, CS-HX-12C films displayed lower light transmission, MC (20.8–19.9 %), WVP (8.82–8.59 × 10−11·g·m−1·s−1·Pa−1), OTR (0.015–0.037 cc/(m2.day)) and higher WS (15.7–32.4 %) values. Moreover, controlled-release experiments showed that pH, ionic strength and temperature could all significantly affect the release of peptide HX-12C from the films. Finally, the increase of pH value and TVC and lipid oxidation of fresh pork were delayed due to the treatment with CS-2%HX-12C film. However, incorporating peptide HX-12C into CS films did not improve the mechanical properties of the films and their effects against protein oxidation. Our results suggest that the CS-based antimicrobial packaging films integrated with peptide HX-12C exhibit the potential for fresh pork preservation.

A self-assembled hybrid electrode for reversible symmetrical solid oxide cells

Reversible Symmetrical Solid Oxide Cell (RSSOC) is a promising energy storage and conversion device with simplified cell configuration and enhanced reliability. However, the compromised activity of the electrodes in reducing and oxidizing atmospheres has restrained the overall performance of RSSOC. In this study, a multifunctional oxide Sr2FeMo0.65Ni0.35O6-δ-Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-δ (SFMN-GDC) developed by a self-assembly method is investigated as the hybrid-electrode to enhance the performance of RSSOC for the first time. The performance of the SFMN-GDC electrode is significantly enhanced with the homogeneous microstructure and extended TPBs length. Moreover, the in situ exsolved Fe-Ni alloy nanoparticle anchored on the SFMN skeleton can further enhance the electrode performance. In SOFC mode operated with H2, the RSSOC with the SFMN-GDC electrode shows a promising peak power density of 0.507 W·cm−2 at 800 °C, while in SOEC mode with 50%CO2–50%H2 at 1.5 V, a current density of 0.803 A·cm−2 is obtained. Most importantly, the RSSOC with SFMN-GDC electrode exhibits excellent stability and cycling reversible operation in both SOFC and SOEC modes for 215 h.

Eutectic, precipitation-strengthened alloy via laser fusion of blends of Al-7Ce-10Mg (wt.%), Zr, and Sc powders

Laser powder-bed fusion was used to create an Al-7Ce-10Mg-0.71Zr-0.23Sc (wt.%) alloy, using hypoeutectic Al-7Ce-10Mg (wt.%) pre-alloyed powder blended with either elemental Zr and Sc powders (∼20 µm in size), or pre-alloyed, concentrated Al-10Zr and Al-10Sc (wt.%) powders (comprised of 1-5 µm Al3Zr or Al3Sc particles embedded in a <45 μm Al-rich matrix). The effects of process parameters and powder selection on the homogeneity of the as-fabricated microstructure were investigated via metallography and compared to predictions from a simple numerical model describing the dissolution of Zr powders in the melt pool during printing. Both experiments and model show that decreasing scan speed leads to greater dissolution of Zr and Sc, but remelting has no significant effect. The samples produced with Al-10Zr and Al-10Sc powder additions show greater amounts of Zr and Sc dissolution than those produced with elemental Zr and Sc additions, because of the smaller size (5 µm for prealloyed vs. 20 µm for elemental) and lower melting point (1580 and 1320°C for Al3Zr, Al3Sc vs. 1850 and 1541°C for Zr, Sc) of the dissolving species. The alloys fabricated with prealloyed powders display larger amounts of very fine grains (1-2 µm) nucleated by primary L12 Al3(Zr,Sc) precipitates, and a clear hardening response during aging, consistent with supersaturated Zr and Sc forming a high number density of secondary L12 Al3(Zr,Sc) nanoprecipitates.

The influence of a large build area on the microstructure and mechanical properties of PBF-LB Ti-6Al-4 V alloy

This study investigated the print homogeneity of Ti-6Al-4 V alloy parts, when printed over a large build area of 250 times 250 times 170 mm3, using a production scale laser powder bed additive manufacturing system. The effect of part location across this large build area was investigated based on printed part porosity, microstructure, hardness, and tensile properties. In addition, a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) treatment was carried out on the as-built parts, to evaluate its impact on the material properties. A small increase in part porosity from 0.01 to 0.09%, was observed with increasing distance from the argon gas flow inlet, which was located on one side of the build plate, during printing. This effect, which was found to be independent of height from the build plate, is likely to be associated with enhanced levels of condensate or spatter residue, being deposited at distances, further from the gas flow. Despite small differences in porosity, no significant differences were obtained for microstructural features such as prior β grain, alpha lath thickness, and phase fraction, over the entire build area. Due to this, mechanical performances such as hardness and tensile strengths were also found to be homogenous across the build area. Additionally, it was also observed based on the lattice constants that partial in-situ decomposition of {alpha }^{^{prime}}to alpha +beta phases occurred during printing. Post HIP treatment result showed a decrease of 7 and 6%, in the yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS), respectively, which was associated with a coarsening of alpha lath widths. The potential of the laser powder bed system for large area printing was successfully demonstrated based on the homogenous microstructure and mechanical properties of the Ti-6Al-4 V alloy parts.

Direct Powder Forging—A New Approach for near Net Shape Processing of Titanium Powders

This study investigates direct powder forging (DPF) as a new approach for near-net-shape processing of titanium alloys using a coarse particle size distribution (PSD) between 90 and 250 μm. This route was utilised to takes advantage of DPF’s enclosed nature to make near-net-shape components with conventional forging equipment, making it attractive and viable even for reactive powder such as titanium. In this study, the uncompacted Ti-6Al-4V ELI powder was sealed under vacuum in a stainless-steel canister and hot forged in air to produce a fully dense titanium femoral stem. After the final forging stage, the excess material in the flash region was cut, which efficiently released the canister, revealing the forged part with minimal surface contamination. The as-forged microstructure comprises coarse β grains with a martensitic structure. The subsequent annealing was able to generate a fine and homogenous lamellar microstructure with mechanical properties that respects the surgical implant standard, showing that DPF offers significant potential for forged titanium parts. Therefore, the DPF process provides a suitable alternative to produce titanium components using basic equipment, making it more available to the industry.

Impact of the ZnS layer position in a stacked precursor film on the properties of CZTS films grown on flexible molybdenum substrates

In the present study, CZTS thin films were prepared by annealing and reaction of Cu–Sn–ZnS precursor layers. First, sputter deposition was carried out on flexible molybdenum (Mo) foil to form Mo-foil/CuSn/ZnS/Cu, Mo-foil/CuSn/Cu/ZnS and Mo-foil/ZnS/CuSn/Cu stacked precursor structures. Annealing process was performed in sulfur atmosphere using Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) method to obtain kesterite CZTS phase in the reacted layers. All prepared precursors and CZTS thin films displayed Cu-poor and Zn-rich chemical composition, as targeted. XRD patterns of CZTS samples showed that the kesterite phase was obtained in all samples regardless of the stacking order of the precursor films. However, the full width at half maximum (FWHM) values of the (112) preferential peaks extracted from the XRD patterns, and the corresponding structural parameters (crystallite size and microstrain), indicated that the Mo-foil/ZnS/CuSn/Cu precursor structure yielded more promising crystalline quality. The occurrence of kesterite phase in all samples and existence of low amount of CTS phase were verified by Raman spectroscopy measurements. The CZTS sample prepared employing the Mo-foil/ZnS/CuSn/Cu precursor film structure presented more prominent, homogenous and compact surface microstructure as observed in SEM images. Optical band gap values were found to be in the range of 1.44–1.50 eV. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements showed that the transitions from the conduction band to intrinsic defect levels dominated the spectra instead of the band-to-band transitions. Electrical characterization of the films showed that Mo-foil/CuSn/ZnS/Cu and Mo-foil/ZnS/CuSn/Cu precursor films yielded lower electrical resistivity and higher carrier concentration due to better crystalline quality. Overall, it was seen that the CZTS thin films produced using the Mo-foil/ZnS/CuSn/Cu stacked precursor layers displayed better properties in terms of crystalline quality, surface microstructure, and optical and electrical properties, which are favorable for photovoltaic applications.