Copper-indium sulfide hollow nanospheres synthesized by a facile solution-chemical method

Chalcopyrite CulnS(2) is an important photovoltaic material. CuInS2 hollow nanospheres with diameters of 80-100 nm have been synthesized by a surfactant-assisted solution-chemical route. Structural characterization indicated that shells of the hollow spheres are composed of CuInS2 nanoparticles of about 10 nm in size. A vesicle-template mechanism was proposed to explain the formation process of the hollow structure, during which amorphous hollow structures are first formed on the surfactant template and then crystallize in the refluxing process.