A simple way of synthesizing single-crystalline semiconducting copper sulfide nanorods by using ultrasonication during template-assisted electrodeposition

We demonstrate here the utilization of ultrasonication during template-assisted electrodeposition to synthesize high quality one-dimensional nanostructures. Copper sulfide nanorods were synthesized sonoelectrochemically to achieve single-crystal nanorods with predominantly single stoichiometric composition (1.0:1.0 Cu:S). Structural characterization by HRTEM, SAD, EDS reveals that nanorods have fully crystalline hexagonal covellite (CuS) structure, which is topotactically intergrown with minor amounts of nanometer size domains of cubic Cu1.8S. Nanorods in the range of 50-200 nm in diameter were produced and electrically characterized as p-type semiconductors.