Precursor Mixture Research Articles

Organomanganese / amido-phosphine (DAPTA) catalyst for rapid cyanosilylation of aldehydes in glycerol and solvent-free conditions at room temperature

A mixture of the organomanganese precursor [CpMe-Mn(CO)3] and the amido-phosphine 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (DAPTA) has been utilized in a highly efficient homogeneous catalytic process for the cyanosilylation of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes in glycerol and under solvent-free conditions. A catalyst loading as low as 0.1 mol % led to a quantitative conversion of various aldehydes into the corresponding cyanohydrins in 15 min at room temperature. Multinuclear NMR and ESI(+)MS analysis revealed a mechanism conceivably evolving via a double activation process where DAPTA acts as a Lewis base and the in situ generated [CpMe-Mn(DAPTA)(CO)2] organomanganese species as a Lewis acid.

Synthesis and Characterization of Zirconia-Silica PMMA Nanocomposite for Endodontic Implants.

This study aimed to enhance the mechanical properties of PMMA composites by introducing various types of fillers, including ZrO2, SiO2, and a mixture of ZrO2-SiO2 nanoparticles, which were prepared as prototypes for an endodontic implant. The ZrO2, SiO2, and mixed ZrO2-SiO2 nanoparticles were synthesized using the sol-gel method and the precursors Tetraethyl Orthosilicate, Zirconium Oxychloride, and a mixture of both precursors, respectively. Before polymerization, the as-synthesized powders were subjected to the bead milling process to obtain a well-dispersed suspension. Two scenarios for the fillers were implemented in the preparation of the PMMA composite: a mixture of ZrO2/SiO2 and ZrO2-SiO2 mixed with two different types of silane: (3-Mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTS) and 3-(Trimethoxysilyl) Propyl Methacrylate (TMSPMA). The observation of the characteristics of all of the investigated fillers included the use of a particle-size analyzer (PSA), a Zeta-potential analyzer, FTIR, XRF, XRD, and SEM. The mechanical properties of the MMA composites, as prepared under various scenarios, were observed in terms of their flexural strength, diametrical tensile strength (DTS), and modulus of elasticity (ME). These levels of performance were compared with a PMMA-only polymer. Each sample was measured five times for flexural strength, DTS, and ME. The results showed that the best PMMA composite was SiO2/ZrO2/TMSPMA, as revealed by measurements of the flexural strength, DTS, and ME corresponding to 152.7 ± 13.0 MPa, 51.2 ± 0.6 MPa, and 9272.8 ± 2481.4 MPa, which are close to the mechanical properties of dentin. The viability of these PMMA composites, as measured up to day 7, was 93.61%, indicating that they are nontoxic biomaterials. Therefore, it was concluded that the PMMA composite created with SiO2/ZrO2/TMSPMA can be considered to be an acceptable endodontic implant.

Nanoscale-mixed ZnNiCu hydroxide composite catalyst for improved photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The advantage of a complex catalyst in which several catalysts are mixed is that the overall reaction rate can be efficiently increased by increasing each sub-reaction rate. Each constituent catalyst in the complex catalyst must be as well-mixed as possible—while maintaining high catalytic activity—owing to the short reaction time of these sub-reactions. This study reports a facile synthetic method to mix two catalysts homogeneously at the nanoscale while keeping their crystal structure intact. ZnNiCu hydroxide nanoplates with a mixed crystal structure composed of ZnNi and ZnCu hydroxides, which could promote H2O dissociative adsorption and H2 desorption, respectively, were synthesized by a simple cation exchange of ZnO nanoparticles and a precursor mixture of Ni and Cu. ZnNi and ZnCu hydroxides in the nanoplates were mixed at the nanoscale while maintaining their respective crystal structures; density functional theory calculations show that these structures could effectively perform H2O dissociative adsorption and H2 desorption, respectively, resulting in high activity in the overall photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction.

In-situ crystallization of lanthanide titanate stannate (Ln2TiSnO7) pyrochlore in glass: A glass-ceramic system for potential nuclear waste sequestration

Ln2TiSnO7 (Ln = Nd-Er) pyrochlore glass-ceramics are produced by calcining the pelletized oxide mixture and sodium aluminoborosilicate glass precursor at 1200 °C for 4 h. The ceramic Ln-Ti-Sn oxide mixture is prepared by a soft chemistry route to enhance reactant reactivity and product homogeneity. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy techniques are used to confirm the formation of the pyrochlore structure in glass. The cell parameters of the pyrochlores by Le Bail fitting are consistent with the calculated data. The variation of the lanthanide on pyrochlore A-site has insignificant effect on the Raman F2g mode ∼ 310 cm−1, but has an apparent influence on A1g mode ∼ 504–512 cm−1, which gradually shifts to low frequencies with increasing Ln3+ionic radii. The average sizes of the pyrochlore crystals are ∼ 0.31–0.62 μm, which are uniformly distributed in glass phase. These Ln2TiSnO7 pyrochlore glass-ceramics with mixed elements on B-site, possessing high radiation tolerance feature due to the presence of Sn, could be used as nuclear waste forms.

Selective production of value-added chemicals from cellulosic biomass waste via plasma-synthesized catalysts

In the present study, a novel process for synthesis of carbon acid catalyst bearing oxygenated groups is proposed based on plasma engineering. The carbon nanoparticles are synthesized with in-situ surface acid modification in a one-pot plasma process with a mixture of carbon precursor and sulfuric acid. The density of total acid groups on the obtained carbon catalyst is up to 3.76–4.42 mmol g−1. The synthesized carbon acid catalysts convert corn cob waste to reducing sugars with the yield of 36.5 % and selectivity of 78.6 % at 180 ℃ for 18 h, respectively. Meanwhile, the stability of carbon acid catalyst in the hydrothermal reaction at 180 ℃ was examined via concessive runs and the recyclability can be maintained at 77.6 % after three times utilization. This process is superior to the conventional methods in the aspects of simplified operation, mild condition, and high efficiency by integrating the carbon synthesis and surface functionalization. The comparable catalytic performance of the resulting carbon acid catalyst provides new guidance to design of solid acid catalysts based on plasma engineering for biomass transformation.

Study of the Properties of YBCO Superconductor Compound in Various Preparation Methods: A Short Review

Superconductors have entered into many applications and advanced technological fields, due to their excellent properties identified by zero resistance and expelling the magnetic field applied to them. Superconductivity is a viable technology to prevent energy losses contributed by electrical resistivity. Also, the magnetic flux is repelled entirely out of the body of superconducting material which makes the Meissner Effect. High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS) have become the focus of researchers and scientists. This is because it uses liquid nitrogen "LN" in cooling, which gives it significant critical temperatures compared to traditional materials based on liquid helium "LHe" in cooling. From this point of view, began to employ these materials in most disciplines and modern technologies. In this article, the phenomenon of Superconductivity will define with explain its most prominent characteristics and focus on the preparation of the HTS (Yttrium-Barium-Copper-Oxide) compound (Abbreviated as YBCO) in different methods "The Sol-Gel and Citrate Pyrolysis Methods", to creating ultrafine superconducting (Y-123) powders. Generally known that by adopting any preparation technique, the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) value of ≈ 92 K could be achieved in the bulk samples. The Citrate Pyrolysis method is a unique route to prepare reactive precursor mixtures through an ignition process of a concentrated aqueous solution including metallic ions of stoichiometric composition. This procedure enables to synthesize of highly homogeneous and fine powders for functional materials, in comparison to the Sol-gel technique.

Optical and Sensing Properties of Carbon Colloidal Particles Based on (Thio)urea and Citric Acid: Effect of the Components Ratio

Changing the composition of a precursors mixture is a powerful tool to tune the structure and properties of carbonaceous nanoparticles synthesized via the solvothermal route. We have addressed the influence of the ratio of urea or thiourea to citric acid during their solvothermal treatment in dimethylformamide on the optical and sensing properties of the obtained colloidal product. It has been found that the urea-derived products are more diverse in comparison with the thiourea-based ones. The excitation-dependent fluorescence of the products and their sensitivity to mercury(II) ions have been investigated; one to three types of fluorophores have been observed in the products depending on the composition. The nanoparticles prepared in excess of urea have been found more sensitive to the heavy metal, with the sensitivity of the long-wave emission band being superior.

Synthesis of yttrium titanate stannate (Y2Ti2−xSnxO7, x = 0–2) pyrochlore glass–ceramics as potential nuclear waste form

AbstractY2Ti2−xSnxO7 (x = 0–2) pyrochlore sodium aluminoborosilicate glass–ceramics (GCs) are produced by calcining the pelletized Y–Ti–Sn oxide mixture and glass precursor at 1200 or 1300°C for 4 h. The metal oxide mixture is prepared by a soft chemistry route. X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electron microscopy are employed to investigate the formation of pyrochlore GCs and local crystal structures. Near phase pure Ti‐rich pyrochlores are produced with minor phase SnO2 observed for Sn‐rich materials. The cell parameters of the pyrochlore structures refined by Le Bail fitting are in good agreement with the published data and increase linearly with the gradual increment of Sn substitution. With progressively increasing Sn proportion on pyrochlore B‐site, Raman characteristic bands of the pyrochlore structure become sharper and well defined. The Raman A1g peak position and its full width at half‐maximum are linearly progressed with increasing x (Sn). The presence of the melting glass facilitates the pyrochlore formation, with ceramic grain sizes ranging from submicron to microns. Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction observations indicate the sample possesses a relatively high crystallographic perfection at the atomic level. This new series of pyrochlore GCs and the method disclosed herein may pave the way for further materials development as potential nuclear waste forms.

Corrosion resistance of calcium hexaaluminate insulating firebrick for synthesising ternary lithium-ion battery cathode materials

The widespread use of ternary lithium-ion battery cathode Li(NixCoyMn1−x−y)O2 (LNCM) materials in energy storage equipment has resulted in an increase in the demand for insulating refractory of roller kiln. However, the severe corrosion during LNCM calcination will result in desquamate and damage of the insulating refractory. In this study, the corrosion resistance of bubble alumina brick (bubble alumina), mullite and CA6 (calcium hexaaluminate) insulating refractories was thoroughly investigated. This study combined the laboratory scale experiments on the interfacial reaction and after life cycle analysis on industrial insulating refractory to investigate the interactions between the insulating refractories and LNCM precursor mixture powders after the calcination temperature of 950 °C for 10 h and the corrosion behaviour of the LNCM precursor to different insulating fire bricks after the heat treatment temperature of 950 °C for 10 h every time and repeated 10 times according to the actual LNCM preparation system. The phase composition and microstructure of the three insulating refractories before and after corrosion were characterised to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the corrosion mechanism and behaviour. Results showed that the CA6 has excellent corrosion resistance and has the potential to be used in the lithium battery industry.

Mechanical densification synthesis of single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode for high-energy lithium-ion batteries

The intergranular microcracking in polycrystalline Ni-rich cathode particle is led by anisotropic volume change and stress corrosion along grain boundary, accelerating battery performance decay. Herein, we have suggested a simple but advanced solid-state method that ensures both uniform transition metal distribution and single-crystalline morphology for Ni-rich cathode synthesis without sophisticated co-precipitation. Pelletization-assisted mechanical densification (PAMD) process on solid-state precursor mixture enables the dynamic mass transfer through the increased solid-solid contact area which facilitates the grain growth during sintering process, readily forming micro-sized single-crystalline particle. Furthermore, the improved chemical reactivity by a combination of capillary effect and vacancy-assisted diffusion provides homogeneous element distribution within each primary particle. As a result, single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode with PAMD process has eliminated a potential evolution of intergranular cracking, thus achieving superior energy retention capability of 85% over 150 cycles compared to polycrystalline Ni-rich particle even after high-pressure calendering process (corresponding to electrode density of ∼3.6 g cm−3) and high cut-off voltage cycling. This work provides a concrete perspective on developing facile synthetic route of micron-sized single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode materials for high energy density lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Flexible nanoscale co‐continuous structures prepared by controlled crazing of ethylene‐octene elastomers and in‐situ polymerization of conductive networks

AbstractAn approach based on controlled crazing and post‐polymerization was used to incorporate a nanoscaled conductive co‐continuous network into commercial ENGAGE™ Polyolefin Elastomers (POEs). Three POE films of differing crystallinity and phase morphology were stretched in a reactive mixture of acrylic polymerization precursors that possessed an affinity for the olefinic materials and acted as a surface‐active agent for craze promotion. As a result, a rigid acrylic hydrogel phase was grown in the void space associated with crazing, which prevented the formed channels from collapsing after mechanical stresses were removed. The hydrogel phase offered ion conductivity properties to the POE. Simply replacing the acrylic monomer with an aniline emulsion for polymerization did not lead to the same outcome in terms of a continuous network; the materials became insulative after the removal of mechanical stresses due to fragmentation of the polyaniline channels from the unrestrained elastic relaxation of the POE. This problem was overcome by solution‐casting POE with polycaprolactone (PCL) into films and, subsequently, partially dissolving and leaching PCL from the blend while a sample was stretched in an aniline emulsion medium containing formic acid. The residual PCL left in the crazes reinforced the polyaniline to prevent fragmentation, allowing the formation of a highly electron‐conductive secondary phase.

Synthesis, properties and electrocatalytic application of g-C3N4 for oxygen electrodes of fuel cells

A new type of metal-free oxygen electrode has been proposed. Its distinguishing feature is applying as an active layer nanodispersed graphitic carbon nitride with electrocatalytic properties controlled by synthesis conditions. Optimal conditions of thermochemical synthesis of g-C3N4 by a heat treatment of a solid mixture of melamine precursor and nitrogen-rich urea additive have been defined. The obtained layered g-C3N4 has been characterized by XRD, selected area electron diffraction, TEM and FTIR. An investigation of the electrocatalytic characteristics of oxygen electrodes has been carried out in a fuel half-cell with alkaline electrolyte. The electrochemical characteristics of the obtained g-C3N4 material with melamine-to-urea ratio 1:2 have been shown to be close to those of platinum electrodes. Electrochemical studies have shown that the obtained carbon nitride is a promising material as metal-free catalyst for oxygen electrodes of fuel cells The long-term testing of produced materials confirmed that they were stable over six months.

Achieving excellent tunability of magnetic property and microwave absorption performance of FeZn-C core–shell nanoparticles by designing the Fe/Zn ratio

Composition design is vital for the excellent microwave absorption (MA) of core–shell nanoparticles (NPs). In this work, FeZn-C core–shell NPs were synthesized by metal organic chemical vapor deposition with the mixture of zinc (II) acetylacetonate and iron acetylacetonate as precursor. The Fe/Zn ratio of the nanocores could be facilely tuned by adjusting the Zn/Fe ratio in the mixture precursor, and their magnetic behavior could therefore be tuned from super-paramagnetic to ferromagnetic. The Fe/Zn ratio might change the resonance intensity and peak position of the nanoparticle absorbers, and thus be able to tune the attenuation property and improve the thickness matching, leading to double reflection loss peaks and broad effective bandwidth. The optimal reflection loss value of −58.0 dB and effective bandwidth of 8.3 GHz have been achieved from the NP absorbers. These results demonstrated that the introducing of non-magnetic metal atom in C-coated core–shell ferromagnetic NPs endowed them with excellent tunability in magnetic and MA performance, and could also provide a bench for the design of other core–shell NPs.

Microfluidic paper-based fluorescence sensor for L-homocysteine using a molecularly imprinted polymer and in situ-formed fluorescent quantum dots

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices modified with molecularly imprinted polymers (μPADs@MIPs) were developed for fluorescent detection of targeted thiols via in situ UV-induced formation of quantum dots (μPADs@MIPs@QDs). The selectivity enhancement by the MIP layer formed on the filter paper surface was demonstrated for the isolation of L-homocysteine from wine. Followed by the addition of metal precursors solution (Zn/Cd/Cu) and UV irradiation, fluorescent quantum dots were formed thus enabling quantitative detection of the thiol (serving as a QD capping agent). The effect of different semiconductors was investigated to achieve a lower band gap and higher fluorescence intensity. Increasing fluorescence intensity in the presence of thiol groups was obtained for the following precursors mixture composition: ZnCdCu/S > ZnCd/S > ZnCu/S > ZnS. The proposed method has a good relationship between the fluorescence intensity of ZnCdCu/S QDs and L-homocysteine in a linear range from 0.74 to 7.40 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.51 and 1.71 μM respectively. This method was applied for the determination of L-homocysteine in white wine with RSD under 6.37%.

The promotional roles of multivalent metal ions and oxygen vacancies on nitrogen-doped carbon-combined CuMn-based catalysts for cyclohexylbenzene oxidation

In this work, we fabricated nitrogen-doped carbon (NC)-combined CuMn-based catalysts derived from layered double hydroxide and melamine mixture precursor and further explored their activity in the aerobic oxidation of cyclohexylbenzene (CHB) to produce cyclohexylbenzene-1-hydroperoxide (CHBHP) using molecular oxygen as the oxidant. Series of structural characterizations demonstrated that multivalent Cu and Mn species and abundant surface defective oxygen vacancies could form in catalysts, due to comprehensive redox processes between Cu and Mn atoms upon high-temperature calcination of precursors under inert atmosphere, as well as the promotional effect of melamine added on the reduction of metal ions. As-fabricated NC-combined CuMn catalyst bearing a 1:1 Cu:Mn molar ratio showed a higher catalytic oxidation activity, in comparison to other NC-decorated CuMn-based catalysts, NC-free CuMn-based one, and pure single metal oxides (i.e., CuO, MnO2). It was revealed that the presence of favorable multivalent Cu and Mn ions and abundant oxygen vacancies was conducive to the effective adsorption and activation of CHB and oxygen molecules, thus accelerating the selective oxidation of CHB to form CHBHP. Moreover, surface NC overlayer on catalysts could protect surface structures of catalysts during the oxidation. The present study provides deep understanding of the roles of surface-active metal species and oxygen vacancies of CuMn-based catalysts for efficient oxidation of CHB to form CHBHP.

The mechanism of water pollutant photodegradation by mixed and core-shell WO3/TiO2 nanocomposites.

Environmental pollution is one of the biggest concerns in the world today, and solar energy-driven photocatalysis is a promising method for decomposing pollutants in aqueous systems. In this study, the photocatalytic efficiency and catalytic mechanism of WO3-loaded TiO2 nanocomposites of various structures were analyzed. The nanocomposites were synthesized via sol-gel reactions using mixtures of precursors at various ratios (5%, 8%, and 10 wt% WO3 in the nanocomposites) and via core-shell approaches (TiO2@WO3 and WO3@TiO2 in a 9 : 1 ratio of TiO2 : WO3). After calcination at 450 °C, the nanocomposites were characterized and used as photocatalysts. The kinetics of photocatalysis with these nanocomposites for the degradation of methylene blue (MB+) and methyl orange (MO-) under UV light (365 nm) were analyzed as pseudo-first-order reactions. The decomposition rate of MB+ was much higher than that of MO-, and the adsorption behavior of the dyes in the dark suggested that the negatively charged surface of WO3 played an important role in adsorbing the cationic dye. Scavengers were used to quench the active species (superoxide, hole, and hydroxyl radicals), and the results indicated that hydroxyl radicals were the most active species; however, the active species were generated more evenly on the mixed surfaces of WO3 and TiO2 than on the core-shell structures. This finding shows that the photoreaction mechanisms could be controlled through adjustments to the nanocomposite structure. These results can guide the design and preparation of photocatalysts with improved and controlled activities for environmental remediation.

Effervescent powder-assisted floating organic solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction for determination of organochlorine pesticides in water by GC–MS

An effervescent powder-assisted floating organic solvent-based dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction was introduced for determination of 13 organochlorine pesticides in water samples. In this method, a less toxic low-density organic solvent was used as extraction solvent. The extraction solvent was dispersed in to the aqueous sample via CO2 bubbles, in-situ generated up on addition of water to a falcon tube containing the mixture of effervescent powder precursors as well as the extraction solvent. Various experimental parameters such as effervescent and its weight fractions, extraction solvent type and its volume, the total mass of effervescent precursors, and the effect of salt were investigated and the optimal conditions were established. Under the optimum conditions, the proposed method exhibited good linearity for all target pesticides with the coefficient of determinations varying from 0.9981 to 0.9997. The limits of detection and quantification were within the range of 0.03–0.24 and 0.26–0.75 μg/L, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions which were expressed in terms of the relative standard deviation ranged from 0.33 to 4.47 and 0.51–5.52%, respectively. The enrichment factors and recoveries ranged from 24 to 293 and 76–116%, respectively. The proposed method could be used simple, cheap, fast, and environmentally friendly alternative for analysis of organochlorine pesticides from environmental water and other similar matrices.

The protometabolic nature of prebiotic chemistry.

The field of prebiotic chemistry has been dedicated over decades to finding abiotic routes towards the molecular components of life. There is nowadays a handful of prebiotically plausible scenarios that enable the laboratory synthesis of most amino acids, fatty acids, simple sugars, nucleotides and core metabolites of extant living organisms. The major bottleneck then seems to be the self-organization of those building blocks into systems that can self-sustain. The purpose of this tutorial review is having a close look, guided by experimental research, into the main synthetic pathways of prebiotic chemistry, suggesting how they could be wired through common intermediates and catalytic cycles, as well as how recursively changing conditions could help them engage in self-organized and dissipative networks/assemblies (i.e., systems that consume chemical or physical energy from their environment to maintain their internal organization in a dynamic steady state out of equilibrium). In the article we also pay attention to the implications of this view for the emergence of homochirality. The revealed connectivity between those prebiotic routes should constitute the basis for a robust research program towards the bottom-up implementation of protometabolic systems, taken as a central part of the origins-of-life problem. In addition, this approach should foster further exploration of control mechanisms to tame the combinatorial explosion that typically occurs in mixtures of various reactive precursors, thus regulating the functional integration of their respective chemistries into self-sustaining protocellular assemblies.

The more the better: on the formation of single-phase high entropy alloy nanoparticles as catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are an important new material class with significant application potential in catalysis and electrocatalysis. The entropy-driven formation of HEA materials requires high temperatures and controlled cooling rates. However, catalysts in general also require highly dispersed materials, i.e., nanoparticles. Only then a favorable utilization of the expensive raw materials can be achieved. Several recently reported HEA nanoparticle synthesis strategies, therefore, avoid the high-temperature regime to prevent particle growth. In our work, we investigate a system of five noble metal single-source precursors with superior catalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction. Combining in situ X-ray powder diffraction with multi-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy, we address the fundamental question of how single-phase HEA nanoparticles can form at low temperatures. It is demonstrated that the formation of HEA nanoparticles is governed by stochastic principles and the inhibition of precursor mobility during the formation process favors the formation of a single phase. The proposed formation principle is supported by simulations of the nanoparticle formation in a randomized process, rationalizing the experimentally found differences between two-element and multi-element metal precursor mixtures.

The effect of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on the optical, electrical and solid state properties of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) deposited by sensitive spray pyrolysis (SSP)

Recently, the use of CZTS as the basis for other generation of low cost thin films solar cells has stimulated further researches. Its excellent p-type absorber nature, relatively high absorption coefficient and ideal energy band-gap of 1.5eV motivated these efforts. Additionally, CZTS consist of earth-abundant, cheap and non-toxic elements with very low manufacturing cost. Initially, copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell device emerged but suffered limitations in further development because of rare indium and gallium in the device structure therefore, CZTS is recently preferred as an alternative to CIGS commercial solar cell absorber layer. In this work, solution mixture of CZTS and PVA was deposited on a substrate at temperature of 150 °C. Sensitive spray pyrolysis was used to grow the thin films where calculated amount of the precursor mixture was allowed to fall and be deposited on a heated substrate to form CZTS/PVA thin films. Subsequently, the thin film samples were annealed at a temperature of 200oCfor 1 h to achieving pure crystalline thin film formation. SEM, XRD analysis, Optical, Solid State properties and Raman analysis were studied. The XRD analysis showed that the thin films fell into the pure kesterite structure of CZTS. Results show that produced thin films exhibited higher absorption coefficient and optical conductivity than pure CZTS, 106 m−1 and 1014(S−1) against 104cm−1 and 1012(S−1) respectively. The band-gap is between 1.53eV and 1.73eV. Using a PVA concentration of 0.05 M yielded highest absorbance and optical conductivity with lowest real dielectric constant and transmittance. These improved optical, electrical and solid state properties suitably qualify these thin films as absorber layer material for solar cell applications.