Microwave-hydrothermal/solvothermal synthesis of kesterite, an emerging photovoltaic material

Rapid synthesis of kesterite (Cu2ZnSnS4), an emerging photovoltaic material was achieved by microwave-hydrothermal/solvothermal (M-H/S) process. Conventional-hydrothermal (C-H) process was also used for comparison with M-H/S process. The synthesized kesterite samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction and UV–vis spectroscopy. Nanophase kesterite, which is potentially suitable for coating was synthesized in ethylene glycol. Band gap values were calculated from UV–vis spectra of several synthetic kesterites and these values are close to the reported values for kesterite.