Solvothermal synthesis of copper indium diselenide in toluene

Polycrystalline CuInSe₂ (CIS) was synthesized through solvothermal reactions in toluene with selected alkyl amines as complexing agents. The alkyl amines were used as reducing agent of selenium and catalytic ligands, enhancing the formation of CIS compounds in the colloidal solution. Toluene does not contribute the syntheses directly but minimizes the amounts of amines required for single phase CIS. We systematically studied the reactivity of amine compounds for the solovothermal syntheses, determined critical concentration of amine and the shortest reaction time. Crystallinity, morphology, chemical composition, and band gap of the prepared CuInSe ₂ were respectively measured by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy.