Synthesis and characterization of silver diethyldithiocarbamate cluster for the deposition of acanthite (Ag2S) thin films for photoelectrochemical applications

Muhammad Ali Ehsan; Hamid Khaledi; Asif Ali Tahir; Huang Nay Ming; K. G.Upul Wijayantha; Muhammad Mazhar

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092

Synthesis and characterization of silver diethyldithiocarbamate cluster for the deposition of acanthite (Ag₂S) thin films for photoelectrochemical applications

Muhammad Ali Ehsan
, Hamid Khaledi
, Asif Ali Tahir
, Huang Nay Ming
, K. G.Upul Wijayantha
, Muhammad Mazhar^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

34 Scopus citations

Abstract

Acanthite (Ag₂S) thin films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using silver cluster [Ag₄{S₂CN(C ₂H₅)₂}₃(C₅H ₅N)₂]_n·nNO₃·2nH ₂O (1) [where (S₂CN(C₂H₅) ₂) = diethyldithiocarbamate, C₅H₅N = pyridine] as a single source precursor. Cluster (1) was synthesized by the reaction of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate with silver nitrate in a mixture of acetone and pyridine. (1) was analyzed by melting point, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and single crystal X-ray studies. Single crystal X-ray studies showed that (1) crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system with a = 11.4372(3), b = 11.6768(3), and c = 16.3672(4) Å and α = 105.817(3), β = 97.891(3), and γ = 93.274(3) in the space group P-1. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that (1) undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 400 C to give a stable residual mass consistent with the formation of Ag₂S. Thin films grown from a 0.02 M solution of (1) in pyridine at 350 and 400 C using AACVD technique were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. FESEM images of the films exhibited well-defined nanorods with length > 1000 nm and diameter 100-150 nm grown without any cracks, fractures or directional preference. A band gap of 1.05 eV was estimated by extrapolating the linear part of a Tauc plot recorded for the films. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics recorded under Air Mass 1.5 illumination indicated a photocurrent density of 220 μA cm^{- 2} at 0.0 V vs Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl. The optical and PEC characteristics of the deposited thin films proved their suitability for PEC applications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	124-129
Number of pages	6
Journal	Thin Solid Films
Volume	536
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092
State	Published - 1 Jun 2013
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors acknowledge the HIR/UMRG grant nos. UM.C/625/1/131 and RG097/10AET of the University of Malaya and Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Project no. PSF/Res/C-QU/CHEM. (408) . This work was partly supported by the UK EPSRC . The authors would like to thank all the members of the Renewable Energy Group of the Department of Chemistry at Loughborough University for their assistance.

UN SDGs

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SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy

Keywords

Acanthite
Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition
Optical band gap
Photoelectrochemical cells
Silver dithiocarbamate
Single source precursor
Thin films

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Surfaces and Interfaces
Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Metals and Alloys
Materials Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092

Cite this

@article{2ca076e943d9472490032789d0e3906c,

title = "Synthesis and characterization of silver diethyldithiocarbamate cluster for the deposition of acanthite (Ag2S) thin films for photoelectrochemical applications",

abstract = "Acanthite (Ag2S) thin films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using silver cluster [Ag4\{S2CN(C 2H5)2\}3(C5H 5N)2]n·nNO3·2nH 2O (1) [where (S2CN(C2H5) 2) = diethyldithiocarbamate, C5H5N = pyridine] as a single source precursor. Cluster (1) was synthesized by the reaction of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate with silver nitrate in a mixture of acetone and pyridine. (1) was analyzed by melting point, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and single crystal X-ray studies. Single crystal X-ray studies showed that (1) crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system with a = 11.4372(3), b = 11.6768(3), and c = 16.3672(4) {\AA} and α = 105.817(3), β = 97.891(3), and γ = 93.274(3) in the space group P-1. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that (1) undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 400 C to give a stable residual mass consistent with the formation of Ag2S. Thin films grown from a 0.02 M solution of (1) in pyridine at 350 and 400 C using AACVD technique were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. FESEM images of the films exhibited well-defined nanorods with length > 1000 nm and diameter 100-150 nm grown without any cracks, fractures or directional preference. A band gap of 1.05 eV was estimated by extrapolating the linear part of a Tauc plot recorded for the films. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics recorded under Air Mass 1.5 illumination indicated a photocurrent density of 220 μA cm- 2 at 0.0 V vs Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl. The optical and PEC characteristics of the deposited thin films proved their suitability for PEC applications.",

keywords = "Acanthite, Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition, Optical band gap, Photoelectrochemical cells, Silver dithiocarbamate, Single source precursor, Thin films",

author = "Ehsan, \{Muhammad Ali\} and Hamid Khaledi and Tahir, \{Asif Ali\} and Ming, \{Huang Nay\} and Wijayantha, \{K. G.Upul\} and Muhammad Mazhar",

note = "Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the HIR/UMRG grant nos. UM.C/625/1/131 and RG097/10AET of the University of Malaya and Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Project no. PSF/Res/C-QU/CHEM. (408) . This work was partly supported by the UK EPSRC . The authors would like to thank all the members of the Renewable Energy Group of the Department of Chemistry at Loughborough University for their assistance.",

year = "2013",

month = jun,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092",

language = "English",

volume = "536",

pages = "124--129",

journal = "Thin Solid Films",

issn = "0040-6090",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Synthesis and characterization of silver diethyldithiocarbamate cluster for the deposition of acanthite (Ag2S) thin films for photoelectrochemical applications

AU - Ehsan, Muhammad Ali

AU - Khaledi, Hamid

AU - Tahir, Asif Ali

AU - Ming, Huang Nay

AU - Wijayantha, K. G.Upul

AU - Mazhar, Muhammad

N1 - Funding Information: The authors acknowledge the HIR/UMRG grant nos. UM.C/625/1/131 and RG097/10AET of the University of Malaya and Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Project no. PSF/Res/C-QU/CHEM. (408) . This work was partly supported by the UK EPSRC . The authors would like to thank all the members of the Renewable Energy Group of the Department of Chemistry at Loughborough University for their assistance.

PY - 2013/6/1

Y1 - 2013/6/1

N2 - Acanthite (Ag2S) thin films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using silver cluster [Ag4{S2CN(C 2H5)2}3(C5H 5N)2]n·nNO3·2nH 2O (1) [where (S2CN(C2H5) 2) = diethyldithiocarbamate, C5H5N = pyridine] as a single source precursor. Cluster (1) was synthesized by the reaction of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate with silver nitrate in a mixture of acetone and pyridine. (1) was analyzed by melting point, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and single crystal X-ray studies. Single crystal X-ray studies showed that (1) crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system with a = 11.4372(3), b = 11.6768(3), and c = 16.3672(4) Å and α = 105.817(3), β = 97.891(3), and γ = 93.274(3) in the space group P-1. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that (1) undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 400 C to give a stable residual mass consistent with the formation of Ag2S. Thin films grown from a 0.02 M solution of (1) in pyridine at 350 and 400 C using AACVD technique were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. FESEM images of the films exhibited well-defined nanorods with length > 1000 nm and diameter 100-150 nm grown without any cracks, fractures or directional preference. A band gap of 1.05 eV was estimated by extrapolating the linear part of a Tauc plot recorded for the films. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics recorded under Air Mass 1.5 illumination indicated a photocurrent density of 220 μA cm- 2 at 0.0 V vs Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl. The optical and PEC characteristics of the deposited thin films proved their suitability for PEC applications.

AB - Acanthite (Ag2S) thin films were fabricated on fluorine doped tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates by aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD) using silver cluster [Ag4{S2CN(C 2H5)2}3(C5H 5N)2]n·nNO3·2nH 2O (1) [where (S2CN(C2H5) 2) = diethyldithiocarbamate, C5H5N = pyridine] as a single source precursor. Cluster (1) was synthesized by the reaction of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate with silver nitrate in a mixture of acetone and pyridine. (1) was analyzed by melting point, elemental analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and single crystal X-ray studies. Single crystal X-ray studies showed that (1) crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system with a = 11.4372(3), b = 11.6768(3), and c = 16.3672(4) Å and α = 105.817(3), β = 97.891(3), and γ = 93.274(3) in the space group P-1. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that (1) undergoes facile thermal decomposition at 400 C to give a stable residual mass consistent with the formation of Ag2S. Thin films grown from a 0.02 M solution of (1) in pyridine at 350 and 400 C using AACVD technique were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry. FESEM images of the films exhibited well-defined nanorods with length > 1000 nm and diameter 100-150 nm grown without any cracks, fractures or directional preference. A band gap of 1.05 eV was estimated by extrapolating the linear part of a Tauc plot recorded for the films. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) characteristics recorded under Air Mass 1.5 illumination indicated a photocurrent density of 220 μA cm- 2 at 0.0 V vs Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl. The optical and PEC characteristics of the deposited thin films proved their suitability for PEC applications.

KW - Acanthite

KW - Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition

KW - Optical band gap

KW - Photoelectrochemical cells

KW - Silver dithiocarbamate

KW - Single source precursor

KW - Thin films

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84877703950

U2 - 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092

DO - 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.03.092

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84877703950

SN - 0040-6090

VL - 536

SP - 124

EP - 129

JO - Thin Solid Films

JF - Thin Solid Films

ER -