Tin forms a range of sulphide compounds including tin monosulphide (SnS), tin disulphide (SnS2) and tin sesquisulphide (Sn2S3) and have received considerable interest in the field of optoelectronics. SnS has been being explored as a potential candidate material for photovoltaic absorber material. Tin disulphide has gained attention as a potential visible-light photocatalyst in hydrogen energy production. In this study tin sulphides were produced and characterised. Tin (Ⅳ) Oxide nano-powders (≤100nm average particle size) were sulphurised using sulphur powder (99.9%) at 500, 600 and 700℃. Tin nano-powders were sulphurised using sulphur powder (99.9%) at 250, 275 and 300℃. Thin films of SnS, SnS2, Sn2S3 were coated on ITO coated silica glass substrates from powders using spin coating technique. All films were annealed in an inert atmosphere of argon for 1hour.SnS thin films which were produced from sulphurisation of tin powder were annealed at 200 and 300℃. SnS2 films were annealed at 200, 300 and 400℃. Sn2S3 films were annealed at 300℃. The phase composition and crystal structure of the annealed films was determined by x-ray diffraction. Raman spectroscopy was also carried out for phase composition determination on the surface of the films. The surface morphology of the annealed thin films was examined using SEM. Band gap determination was carried out by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. Photoelectrochemical tests were carried out in a three-electrode configuration set up. In the characterisation of SnS2 photoelectrodes, 0.5M sodium sulphate (pH 7) was used as the electrolyte and 0.1M sulphuric acid (pH 0.6) was used for SnS and Sn2S3. SnS2 powders, a mixture of SnS2 and Sn2S3 and a mixture of SnS and Sn2S3 powders were formed from the sulphurisation of SnO2 at 500, 600 and 700℃ respectively as determined by x-ray diffraction. SnS powder was produced from the sulphurisation of tin at 250, 275 and 300℃ however an impurity SnS2 phase which increased with increasing temperature was also formed. Band gaps of 1.4, 2.2 and 0.9eV were found for SnS, SnS2 and Sn2S3 respectively. All the thin films were photoactive and SnS films presented p-type conductivity in contrast to SnS2 and Sn2S3 film which showed n-type behaviour. The SnS2 photoanodes showed photo-catalysing properties during photoelectrochemical tests.
اصطلاحهای موضوعی کنترل نشده
اصطلاح موضوعی
Electrical engineering
اصطلاح موضوعی
Materials science
نام شخص به منزله سر شناسه - (مسئولیت معنوی درجه اول )