Cu₂ZnSnS₄-Pt and Cu₂ZnSnS₄-Au Heterostructured Nanoparticles for Photocatalytic Water Splitting and Pollutant Degradation

Cu2ZnSnS4, based on abundant and environmental friendly elements and with a direct band gap of 1.5 eV, is a main candidate material for solar energy conversion through both photovoltaics and photocatalysis. We detail here the synthesis of quasi-spherical Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles with unprecedented narrow size distributions. We further detail their use as seeds to produce CZTS-Au and CZTS-Pt heterostructured nanoparticles. Such heterostructured nanoparticles are shown to have excellent photocatalytic properties toward degradation of Rhodamine B and hydrogen generation by water splitting.