Hydrothermal preparation of CuGaS2 crystallites with different morphologies

The CuGaS2 crystallites with different morphologies were prepared at 160 °C through hydrothermal process by using CuCl, GaCl3 solution, and thiourea as source materials. The samples were characterized by means of X-ray powder diffraction, element analysis, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence (PL). In present route, as-prepared CuGaS2 crystallites displayed spherical and whisker-like nanoparticles and snowflake-like micrometer particles. Room temperature PL spectrum of the snowflake-like crystallites exhibits a weak emission band at 540 nm and a broad strong emission band at 735 nm. The role that the reaction media played in the morphologies of the CuGaS2 crystallites was investigated, and a possible reaction mechanism was proposed.