Subtractive methods to form pyrite and sulfide nanostructures of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn

The low Z metals Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn are Earth abundant, i.e. inexpensive, and their sulfides are of low toxicity. This makes them appealing candidates for materials applications requiring semiconductors or, in, the case of CoS2, a metal since they can potentially be produced in large quantities and low cost. Though of great potential little work has explored how subtractive methods can be used to form nanostructured and/or porous structures in, e.g. FeS2, CoS2, NiS, Cu2S and ZnS. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.