Pure Sb2S3 Research Articles

Amorphous NiB layer deposition and piezoelectric field assisted for efficient photocatalytic degradation of Sb2S3

The poor surface charge reaction efficiency and electrical conductivity limit the further application of Sb2S3 in photocatalytic degradation of pollutants. An amorphous NiB layer was deposited on the surface of Sb2S3 by photo-assisted electrodeposition, and the presence of the NiB layer accelerated the charge transport and catalytic reactivity, which greatly enhanced the degradation ability. The photocurrent density of NiB-Sb2S3 was about 0.12 mA/cm2, which was 6 times of that of pure Sb2S3. After increasing the applied mechanical site by ultrasonication, the photocurrent of NiB-Sb2S3 was further increased to 0.19 mA/cm2, which was almost 9.5 times that of pure Sb2S3 under photocatalytic conditions alone. The catalytic kinetic curves show that the degradation rate of RhB by NiB-Sb2S3 under piezoelectric-photocatalytic conditions is significantly increased, being 11.48 times of the degradation rate of Sb2S3 under photocatalytic conditions. The detailed experimental data indicate that the amorphous NiB layer not only changes the electronic structure of the catalyst surface, but also increases the number and activity of the catalyst active sites, and reduces the chance of electron and hole recombination after photoexcitation. The introduction of an applied piezoelectric field provided a driving force for carrier migration to the catalyst surface, which further improved the separation ability. This study provides a new strategy to further improve the photocatalytic degradation.

Fabrication of Flower-Shaped Sb2S3/Fe2O3 Heterostructures for Enhanced Photoelectrochemical Performance.

Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) has been recognized as a catalytic material for splitting water by solar energy because of its suitable narrow band gap, high absorption coefficient, and abundance of elements. However, many deep-level defects in Sb2S3 result in a significant recombination of photoexcited electron-hole pairs, weakening its photoelectrochemical performance. Here, by using a simple hydrothermal and spin-coating method, we fabricated a step-scheme heterojunction of Sb2S3/α-Fe2O3 to improve the photoelectrochemical performance of pure Sb2S3. Our Sb2S3/α-Fe2O3 photoanode has a photocurrent density of 1.18 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode, 1.39 times higher than that of Sb2S3 (0.84 mA/cm2). In addition, our heterojunction has a lower onset potential, a higher absorbance intensity, a higher incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency, a higher applied bias photon-to-current efficiency, and a lower charge transfer resistance compared to pure Sb2S3. Based on ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, we constructed a step-scheme band structure of Sb2S3/α-Fe2O3 to explain its photoelectrochemical enhancement. This work offers a promising strategy to optimize the performance of Sb2S3 photoelectrodes for solar-driven photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Constructing 1D/0D Sb2S3/Cd0.6Zn0.4S S-scheme heterojunction by vapor transport deposition and in-situ hydrothermal strategy towards photoelectrochemical water splitting

Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) is widely used in photocatalysts and photovoltaic cells because of its abundant reserves, low toxicity, environmental friendliness, narrow band gap, and high light absorption capacity. Sb2S3 shows a quasi-one-dimensional structure composed of [Sb4S6]n nanoribbons, a lot of reported studies are focused on preparing Sb2S3 with [hk1] oriented dominant growth to improve the photogenerated carrier transport capacity of Sb2S3. However, there is relatively few research on the preparation of [hk1] oriented rod-like Sb2S3 by vapor transport deposition (VTD) method. In this work, the VTD method was used to prepare Sb2S3 with [hk1] oriented growth on the FTO substrate, and then composite with the ternary solid solution CdxZn1−xS. Finally, a novel Sb2S3/Cd0.6Zn0.4S S-scheme heterojunction with rod-like core-shell structure was successfully constructed, which could effectively improve the photoelectrochemical properties. Because the solid solution component x is adjustable, that is, CdxZn1−xS has continuously adjustable band gap width and energy level position, the Sb2S3/CdxZn1−xS heterojunction type can be regulated from Type-II to S-scheme. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) tests indicated that the composite photoanode Sb2S3/Cd0.6Zn0.4S achieved a higher photocurrent density (2.54 mA·cm−2, 1.23 V vs. RHE), which is about 4.31 times that of pure Sb2S3 nanorod photoanode (0.59 mA·cm−2, 1.23 V vs. RHE).

Unveiling the role of Ag-Sb bimetallic S-scheme heterojunction for vis-NIR-light driven selective photoreduction CO2 to CH4

The construction of interfacial engineered heterojunctions is an effective strategy to broaden the optical response and facilitate charge separation. Herein, a novel 0D/1D Ag2S/Sb2S3 heterojunction is prepared by in-situ growth of Ag2S quantum dots on Sb2S3 nanorods using a simple hydrothermal approach. The 10% Ag2S/Sb2S3 (10AS) heterojunction exhibited efficient CO2 photoreduction activity with a CH4 yield of 6.75 µmol g−1 h−1, which is six times higher than that of pure Sb2S3 NTs. The CH4 selectivity of the 10AS heterojunction reach 96.1%, owing to the construction of dual-metal sites. Intriguingly, the composite photocatalyst could be extended to infrared light, leading to the full utilization of the incident light. In the 10AS heterojunction, the formation of Ag-S-Sb type covalent bonds is demonstrated by Raman and XAFS tests. The pathways of CO2 conversion to CH4 are discussed in detail. Therefore, the work provides a promising strategy for highly selective and efficient CO2 photoreduction.

Hierarchical Sb2S3/ZnIn2S4 core–shell heterostructure for highly efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production and pollutant degradation

In this work, a novel hierarchical 1D/2D core/shell Sb2S3-ZnIn2S4 (SB-ZIS) heterostructure with highly efficient photocatalytic activities for both hydrogen production from water and organic pollutant degradation was designed and fabricated via a simple one-step hydrothermal method. The as-prepared SB-ZIS heterostructure, where ZnIn2S4 nanosheets uniformly grew onto Sb2S3 nanorod to form a tight and large intimate contacted interface, was conducive to improve the absorption capacity of light, increase the surface area, shorten the distance of electronic transmission channels and accelerate the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. As a result, the presented SB-ZIS composites demonstrated significantly enhanced photocatalytic performances for H2 generation and Tetracycline Hydrochloride (TCH) photodegradation. The photocatalytic H2 production rate of optimal SB-ZIS-2 sample (1685.14 μmol·g−1·h−1) was about 12.24 times as large as that of pure ZnIn2S4 (137.63 μmol·g−1·h−1). The apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) at 420 nm was up to 3.8%. In addition, the highest rate constant for TCH removal (0.514 h−1) was 20.3 and 2.89 times larger than those of pure Sb2S3 and Znln2S4, respectively. The possible reaction routes of TCH and the photocatalytic reaction mechanism of SB-ZIS sample were also discussed in detail. This work will provide some useful information for the development of dual-functional Sb2S3-based type I core–shell heterostructure with an efficient photocatalytic activity for solving environmental pollution and producing clean hydrogen energy.

The Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties of Sb2S3/RGO Nanocomposites

Antimony sulfide/reduced graphene oxide (Sb2S3/RGO) nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile, one-step solvothermal method. XRD, SEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the uniform distribution of Sb2S3 nanoparticles on the surface of graphene through partial chemical bonds. The third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of Sb2S3, RGO, and Sb2S3/RGO samples were investigated by using the Z-scan technique under Nd:YAG picosecond pulsed laser at 532 nm. The results showed that pure Sb2S3 particles exhibited two-photon absorption (TPA), while the Sb2S3/RGO composites switched to variable saturated absorption (SA) properties due to the addition of different concentrations of graphene. Moreover, the third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of the composites were also tunable with the concentration of the graphene. The third-order nonlinear susceptibility of the Sb2S3/RGO sample can achieve 8.63 × 10−12 esu. The mechanism for these properties can be attributed to the change of the band gap and the formation of chemical bonds supplying channels for photo-induced charge transfer between Sb2S3 nanoparticles and the graphene. These tunable NLO properties of Sb2S3/RGO composites can be applicable to photonic devices such as Q-switches, mode-locking devices, and optical switches.

Sb2S3 thin films by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of antimony ethyl xanthate

Synthesis of antimony chalcogenides, especially Sb2S3, by facile and area scalable in-air chemical methods, such as spray pyrolysis, from cost-effective chemicals is certain to accelerate development of the related thin film solar cell technology. In this study, antimony ethyl xanthate, a scarcely studied halogenide-free precursor, is proven to be suitable for the deposition of conformal phase pure crystalline Sb2S3 thin films via ultrasonic spray pyrolysis in air by a two-step process. First, a solution of antimony ethyl xanthate with thiourea in a molar ratio of 1/3, or with thioacetamide in a molar ratio of 1/10 was sprayed onto a glass/ITO/TiO2 substrate by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis at 215°C to yield amorphous phase pure Sb2S3 thin films. Second, performing post-growth heat treatment in vacuum at 225°C, was the key to produce phase pure conformal thin films of crystalline Sb2S3 (Eg 1.8 eV) with S/Sb atomic ratio of 1.46 by using thiourea, and 1.41 by using thioacetamide, respectively. Spraying solutions of antimony ethyl xanthate at ≥135°C resulted in the formation of the Sb2O3 phase. Adding thiourea or thioacetamide to the spray solution prevented the oxidation of the growing Sb2S3 layer during deposition at 135°C, 165°C, and 215°C. The suppressed oxidation of Sb2S3 layers is attributed to the liquid state of thiourea and thioacetamide in these conditions.

Defects regulation of Sb2S3 by construction of Sb2S3/In2S3 direct Z-scheme heterojunction with enhanced photoelectrochemical performance

Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3), as a narrow band-gap semiconductor with strong visible light absorption ability, nevertheless due to the existence of a large number of defective energy levels, the application in the field of PEC water splitting was limited. This paper aimed to construct Sb2S3/In2S3 direct Z-scheme heterojunction to effectively eliminate the adverse effect of defective energy level on the photoelectrochemical performance of Sb2S3. Cell-like Sb2S3 thin films were prepared on ITO substrates by simple hydrothermal method, followed by using solvothermal method, the Sb2S3/In2S3 direct Z-scheme heterojunction was successfully constructed. The IPCE values of Sb2S3/In2S3 could reach 10.19 % (735 nm) compared with pure Sb2S3 (4.22 %). Both the separation and injection efficiency could be improved from 3.35 % and 31.69 % to 5.19 % and 61.48 %, respectively. The maximum photocurrent density was 1.24 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which was 5.6 times higher than pristine Sb2S3 (0.22 mA/cm2). Moreover, an earlier onset potential was observed (~0.7 V vs. RHE), showing an improvement of 0.3 V when compared to the pristine Sb2S3. This work provided a new idea for the application of antimony chalcogenides in the field of PEC water splitting and the construction of efficient photoelectric devices.

XPS study of iodine and tin doped Sb2S3 nanostructures affected by non-uniform charging

X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements are used for investigating incorporation of iodine and tin into the stibnite (Sb2S3) lattice, as well as for determining surface composition and structure, respectively. The XRD analysis revealed the visible presence of a single phase, that of pure orthorhombic Sb2S3 structure. XPS survey spectra confirmed the presence of expected elements (Sb, S, Sn and I) at the surface of corresponding samples. Since the bonding identification was hindered by non-uniform charging of samples during acquiring the photoelectron spectra, a novel approach for the analysis of high resolution spectra was proposed and successfully implemented. XPS results showed that surface composition of the non-doped sample coincides with that of the bulk, while doping strongly affects surface of the samples. Sn-doped sample appears to be prone to surface oxidation. The presence of Sb2S3, Sb2O3, SnS2 and Sn(0) phases at the surface was revealed. Strong segregation of antimony was observed in the I-doped Sb2S3 sample. Iodine is also present at the surface in the form of the SbI3 phase, while the detected sulphur signal most probably corresponds to S atoms from unaltered deeper layers.

Highly efficient photoelectrochemical ZnO and TiO2 nanorod/Sb2S3 heterostructured photoanodes through one step thermolysis of Sb-MPA complex

Semiconductor heterostructures such as TiO2/Sb2S3 and ZnO/Sb2S3 are promising for photoelectrochemical applications. In this work, we demonstrate the photoelectrochemical performance with enhanced current densities of Sb2S3 sensitized nanorods of TiO2 (TNR) and ZnO (ZNR) photoanodes. ZNR and TNR are synthesized by the hydrothermal method and annealed in the air (AA) and hydrogen (HA) ambient. Stoichiometric Sb2S3 are coated on ZNR and TNR by a facile one-step method using thermolysis of Sb-MPA precursor in air ambient. Structural, optical and microstructural studies are carried out to confirm the formation of phase pure Sb2S3 on ZnO and TiO2 oxide nanorods in the TiO2/Sb2S3 and ZnO/Sb2S3 heterojunction photoanodes. Photoelectrochemical studies show enhanced performance from the Sb2S3 sensitized photoanodes in comparison to the bare TNR or ZNR photoanodes. TNR-AA/Sb2S3(MPA) and TNR-HA/Sb2S3(MPA) heterostructures exhibit current densities of 1.79 mA/cm2 and 1.58 mA/cm2, respectively, which is six times higher than the uncoated photoanodes (0.38 mA/cm2 for TNR-AA and 0.20 mA/cm2 for TNR-HA). In the case of ZNR, we see a 10 to 15 fold increase in current density (~3.3 to 4 mA/cm2) upon sensitizing with Sb2S3 on photoanodes. Further hydrogen annealed ZNR sensitized with Sb2S3 (ZNR-HA/Sb2S3(MPA)) shows a slightly higher current density (3.9 mA/cm2) than the air annealed ZNR-AA/Sb2S3(MPA) (3.32 mA/cm2). Hydrogen annealing is beneficial for ZNR, whereas air-annealing is favored for TNR. Also, stability studies and photocurrent measurements are discussed for these photoanodes.

ZnS Ultrathin Interfacial Layers for Optimizing Carrier Management in Sb2S3-based Photovoltaics.

Antimony chalcogenides represent a family of materials of low toxicity and relative abundance, with a high potential for future sustainable solar energy conversion technology. However, solar cells based on antimony chalcogenides present open-circuit voltage losses that limit their efficiencies. These losses are attributed to several recombination mechanisms, with interfacial recombination being considered as one of the dominant processes. In this work, we exploit atomic layer deposition (ALD) to grow a series of ultrathin ZnS interfacial layers at the TiO2/Sb2S3 interface to mitigate interfacial recombination and to increase the carrier lifetime. ALD allows for very accurate control over the ZnS interlayer thickness on the ångström scale (0–1.5 nm) and to deposit highly pure Sb2S3. Our systematic study of the photovoltaic and optoelectronic properties of these devices by impedance spectroscopy and transient absorption concludes that the optimum ZnS interlayer thickness of 1.0 nm achieves the best balance between the beneficial effect of an increased recombination resistance at the interface and the deleterious barrier behavior of the wide-bandgap semiconductor ZnS. This optimization allows us to reach an overall power conversion efficiency of 5.09% in planar configuration.

Surface and Interface Engineering Enhanced Photodetector Based on Mo2C-C/Sb2S3 Composites

Surface and interface engineering have shown broad application prospect in energy conversion. Mo2C-C/Sb2S3 composites have been synthesized by coupling Mo2C-C composites and Sb2S3 nanowires with coupling agent. The performance of the devices has been investigated. Under irradiation by light source, the device showed better electrical contact, fast response speed (rise time 0.135[Formula: see text]s, decay time 0.132[Formula: see text]s) and larger on/off ratio ([Formula: see text]) than the device which assembled by mechanical mixing ([Formula: see text]) and pure Sb2S3 nanowires (47), respectively. The performance has been enhanced by modifying the surface and interface of materials. This approach provides a new idea to enhance the high-performance photodetectors and other inventive optoelectronic devices.

G0W0 plus BSE calculations of quasiparticle band structure and optical properties of nitrogen-doped antimony trisulfide for near infrared optoelectronic and solar cells application

Theoretical calculations of structural, electronic, excitonic and optical properties of N-doped Sb2S3 are studied using highly accurate first-principles approach within many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) formalism. The calculated structural parameters of undoped Sb2S3 within Wu-Cohen’s generalized gradient approximation (WC-GGA) are reasonably close to those obtained in experimental measurement. Many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) based on the G0W0 approximation is used for the quasiparticle (QP) band structure. The bandgap value of 1.70 eV for the undoped Sb2S3 crystal within G0W0 approximation is consistent with the experimental value of 1.70–1.80 eV. When one atom of N is introduced into Sb2S3 at Sb site, the doping effects modified the band gap from 1.70 to 1.17 eV. Also, by introducing one atom of N to S site, the band gap value reduced to 0.96 eV. Our findings confirmed that non-metal doping narrow the energy gap of semiconductor materials. The optical properties of pure and N-doped Sb2S3 are computed using G0W0 plus Bethe-Salpeter Equation (BSE) which include both electron-electron (e-e) and electron-hole (e-h) interactions. The optical gap for Sb16S24, Sb15N1S24 and Sb16S23N1 were found to be 1.54, 0.97 and 0.82 eV, respectively. The narrowing effects and strong optical absorption of N-doped Sb2S3 suggest that the investigated material is suitable for solar cells and near infrared optoelectronic applications.

One step thermolysis of Sb-Mercaptopropionic acid complex in ambient air atmosphere for growing Sb2S3 thin films with controlled microstructure

Synthesis of phase pure Sb2S3 in open atmosphere has been a long-time challenging task due to the oxidation of metal. Here, we demonstrate a robust, one-step solution approach for synthesis of Sb2S3 thin films in open air atmosphere. One-step thermolysis of Sb-MPA complex obtained by mixing antimony chloride and 3-Mercaptopropionic acid (3-MPA) in polar and non-polar solvents yields phase pure thin films. Upon changing the concentration of sulphur in the solvent and polarity of solvent, different microstructures of Sb2S3 such as nanostripes, nanorods and tubular morphology evolve. Irrespective of sulphur concentration in the precursor solution, Sb2S3 thin films are always phase pure and formed in stoichiometric composition. The films are photoconductive in nature and morphology of Sb2S3 influences the photoconductivity. This novel and facile methodology will open new avenues for direct deposition of Sb2S3 thin films for wide range of applications including optoelectronics, photovoltaics and photocatalysis research.

Hybrid photo-catalyst of Sb2S3 NRs wrapped with rGO by C–S bonding: Ultra-high photo-catalysis effect under visible light

This very paper focuses on the design and synthesis of chalcogenide photo-catalyst. Hence Sb2S3 nano-rods and rGO/Sb2S3 nano-rods hybrid have been synthesized by hydrothermal procedures. Characterizations, such as the morphology, the crystalline structure, the photo-catalysis capability, and some photo-electrical conversion properties, have been carried out. It is found that GX-Sb2S3 catalyst (X = 1, 3, 5) had much higher photo-catalysis effect than pure Sb2S3 under visible light irritation. The experiments and calculation make it clear that photo-generated electrons in Sb2S3 nano-rods would immigrate to rGO and further be trapped by the surface defects in rGO. Interestingly, the photo-corrosion was drastically inhibited in rGO wrapped Sb2S3 hybrid catalyst viewed from the 5 cycles of photo-catalysis experiments. Meanwhile, the aqueous effect on the growth of Sb2S3 nano-rods was particularly studied, which revealed that a bit of water was vital if one wanted to grow Sb2S3 nano-rods and to simultaneously wrap the grown Sb2S3 nano-rods.

Adjusting Interfacial Chemistry and Electronic Properties of Photovoltaics Based on a Highly Pure Sb2S3 Absorber by Atomic Layer Deposition.

The combination of oxide and heavier chalcogenide layers in thin film photovoltaics suffers limitations associated with oxygen incorporation and sulfur deficiency in the chalcogenide layer or with a chemical incompatibility which results in dewetting issues and defect states at the interface. Here, we establish atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a tool to overcome these limitations. ALD allows one to obtain highly pure Sb2S3 light absorber layers, and we exploit this technique to generate an additional interfacial layer consisting of 1.5 nm ZnS. This ultrathin layer simultaneously resolves dewetting and passivates defect states at the interface. We demonstrate via transient absorption spectroscopy that interfacial electron recombination is one order of magnitude slower at the ZnS-engineered interface than hole recombination at the Sb2S3/P3HT interface. The comparison of solar cells with and without oxide incorporation in Sb2S3, with and without the ultrathin ZnS interlayer, and with systematically varied Sb2S3 thickness provides a complete picture of the physical processes at work in the devices.

Fabrication of Pure Sb2S3 and Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 Thin Films and Investigation Their Properties

Pure Sb2S3 and Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 thin films were synthesized on Zn2SnO4 coated with FTO conductive glasses using chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns obtained show that both thin films have an orthorhombic structure. Although the crystal structure of the two thin films was the same, the crystalline size of Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 thin film (51.15 nm) was found to be smaller than that of pure Sb2S3 (52.89 nm). The effect of Fe-doped metal on crystal size of Sb2S3 was observed with this result. Another important observation is that the energy band gap of Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 thin film (2.00 eV) is larger than that of pure Sb2S3 (1.89 eV). The photovoltaic properties of the synthesized thin films were examined by applying both incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) and current density (J)–voltage (V) measurements. The obtained IPCE(%) values at 600 nm for pure Sb2S3 and Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 thin films are 30.29 and 49.06, respectively. Using the J–V curves, the calculated η (%) values for pure Sb2S3 and Fe (2.5%): Sb2S3 thin films are 3.95 and 5.44, respectively. Based on the data obtained from both measurements, it was observed that the Fe dopant significantly enhance the performance of the Sb2S3-based solar cell devices.

Low-cost processed antimony sulfide nanocrystal photoanodes with increased efficiency and stability

Environmentally harmless Antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) photoanode introduced water splitting device have a great potential for producing hydrogen from its optical characteristic. However, fabrication of highly pure Sb2S3 film by solution process has been suppressed due to the presence of various sulfide antimony compounds while chemical synthesis process. Here, high phase purity and high crystallinity Sb2S3 nanocrystal was successfully fabricated by mechanical alloying method. The solvent free and simple fabrication process realized low manufacturing cost of Sb2S3 nanocrystal fabrication without environmental hazard. Optical characterization by XRD, XPS and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that Sb2S3 nanocrystal film has high phase purity with high crystallinity. Furthermore, observed SEM images shows that fabricated Sb2S3 nanocrystal based nanostructure has high thermal stability till 300 °C. Finally, nanostructured Sb2S3 photoanode introduced water splitting device presented a saturation photocurrent of 0.69 mA cm−2 at 1.9 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) in 0.5 M H2SO4 under 1-sun illumination, with high stability and Фsaved, NPAC value, 4.36%. High photocurrent of water splitting device is originated from enlarged surface area of Sb2S3 nanocrystal film and electrical conduction improvement due to thermal annealing which reduced imperfections between nanoparticles.

Imbedding ultrafine Sb2S3 nanoparticles in mesoporous carbon sphere for high-performance lithium-ion battery

In view of the high theoretical specific capacity of 946 mAh/g, Sb2S3 anode materials have been considered as competitive candidates for high performance lithium ion batteries (LIBs). However, pure Sb2S3 usually suffers from inferior cyclicity because of the extremely large volume expansion upon Li+ uptake and release processes when applied as electrode in LIBs. Combining Sb2S3 with carbonaceous materials would reduce the volume change effect and thus maintains high capacity and substantially improves the cycling performance. Herein, ultrafine Sb2S3 nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous hollow carbon spheres (MHCS) are successfully prepared based on a facile hydrothermal method using MHCS as the microreactor for lithium ion storage, which delivers a desirable specific capacity of 745.3 mAh/g at a current density of 100 mA/g after 160 cycles, and displays prominent rating capability. The outstanding electrochemical performance is due to the mesoporous and unique hollow feature of MHCS, which not only facilitates the electron transfer and Li+ diffusion, but also confines the growth of Sb2S3.

Determination of the optimum Co concentration in Co:Sb2S3 thin films

This current study consists of two phases. In the first step, PbS, Sb2S3:Co(0.25%), Sb2S3:Co(0.5%), Sb2S3:Co(0.75%) and Sb2S3:Co (1%) and Sb2S3:Co (2.5%) thin films were successfully synthesized on Zn2SnO4 coated on FTO conductive glasses using chemical bath deposition method at room temperature. The photovoltaic properties of the synthesized thin films were examined by applying both incident photon-to-current efficiency (IPCE) and current density (J)–voltage (V) measurements. It was observed that Co:Sb2S3 thin films with different Co concentrations have higher IPCE (%) and power conversion efficiency (η%) values higher than pure Sb2S3. Moreover, the Co concentration, which provides the best efficiency, was determined as 1% compared to other concentrations. In the second phase of the study; structural, elemental and optical properties of Sb2S3:Co (1%) thin film were investigated using X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray and optical absorption measurements, respectively. Consequently, it was clearly observed that the Co dopant affects particle size, energy band gap and power conversion efficiency of Sb2S3 thin films. In addition, our study suggests that Co:Sb2S3 thin films are promising materials that can be used in photovoltaic applications.