TY - JOUR
T1 - Biomimetic synthesis of CuInS2 nanoparticles
T2 - Characterization, cytotoxicity, and application in quantum dots sensitized solar cells
AU - Arriaza-Echanes, C.
AU - Campo-Giraldo, J. L.
AU - Quezada, C. P.
AU - Espinoza-González, R.
AU - Rivas-Álvarez, P.
AU - Pacheco, M.
AU - Bravo, D.
AU - Pérez-Donoso, J. M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s)
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - CuInS2 (CIS) nanoparticles have unique chemical, toxicological and optoelectronic properties that favor their technological applications. In the present work we report a novel one step biomimetic method for the aqueous synthesis of CIS nanoparticles, that is also low cost and environmentally friendly. This biomimetic method uses only CuSO4 and InCl3 as precursor salts, and the biological molecule glutathione as sulfur donor and stabilizer of the nanoparticles (NPs). The reaction is performed at low temperatures, under aerobic conditions and atmospheric pressure. CIS nanoparticles produced by our biomimetic method exhibit fluorescence emission between 650 and 700 nm when excited at 500 nm. A size between 10 and 15 nm was determined by Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and corroborated by electron transmission microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) confirmed the crystalline structure of the CIS NPs produced. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) analyses revealed the presence of Cu, In, and S in a 0.6: 1.4: 2 ratio, which has been reported for other CIS NPs in literature. No cytotoxicity of CIS NPs was observed in human OKT6/TERT2 cells and bacteria. Besides, the potential application of biomimetic CIS NPs as photosensitizers in quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) was confirmed. The biocompatibility, spectroscopic properties, and energy harvesting performance in solar cells of the CIS NPs produced by our biomimetic method make them suitable for their use in different biotechnological applications.
AB - CuInS2 (CIS) nanoparticles have unique chemical, toxicological and optoelectronic properties that favor their technological applications. In the present work we report a novel one step biomimetic method for the aqueous synthesis of CIS nanoparticles, that is also low cost and environmentally friendly. This biomimetic method uses only CuSO4 and InCl3 as precursor salts, and the biological molecule glutathione as sulfur donor and stabilizer of the nanoparticles (NPs). The reaction is performed at low temperatures, under aerobic conditions and atmospheric pressure. CIS nanoparticles produced by our biomimetic method exhibit fluorescence emission between 650 and 700 nm when excited at 500 nm. A size between 10 and 15 nm was determined by Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and corroborated by electron transmission microscopy. X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) confirmed the crystalline structure of the CIS NPs produced. Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX) analyses revealed the presence of Cu, In, and S in a 0.6: 1.4: 2 ratio, which has been reported for other CIS NPs in literature. No cytotoxicity of CIS NPs was observed in human OKT6/TERT2 cells and bacteria. Besides, the potential application of biomimetic CIS NPs as photosensitizers in quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) was confirmed. The biocompatibility, spectroscopic properties, and energy harvesting performance in solar cells of the CIS NPs produced by our biomimetic method make them suitable for their use in different biotechnological applications.
KW - Biomimetic synthesis
KW - CIS
KW - Glutathione
KW - Photosensitizer
KW - QDSSC
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105968887&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103176
DO - 10.1016/j.arabjc.2021.103176
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85105968887
SN - 1878-5352
VL - 14
JO - Arabian Journal of Chemistry
JF - Arabian Journal of Chemistry
IS - 7
M1 - 103176
ER -