Routes to Nanostructured Inorganic Materials with Potential for Solar Energy Applications

Recent advances in nanotechnology could facilitate the production of cheaper solar cells. This review describes synthetic routes to various nanostructured materials that are potentially useful in photovoltaic applications. We have focused on materials that are based on earth abundant elements and/or those that are held to have lower toxicity. Methods to synthesize binary chalcogenides with variable stoichiometries such as iron sulfide, copper sulfide, and nickel sulfide are described in detail. Other important photovoltaic materials such as cadmium telluride and lead sulfide are also covered. Methods to prepare emerging materials such as tin sulfide and bismuth sulfide are also discussed. Finally routes to ternary materials, e.g. copper indium sulfide and/or selenide and the quaternary material copper zinc tin sulfide, are discussed.