SnS 2 Nanoparticles and Thin Film for Application as an Adsorbent and Photovoltaic Buffer.

Energy consumption and environmental pollution are major issues faced by the world. The present study introduces a single solution using SnS 2 for these two major global problems. SnS 2 nanoparticles and thin films were explored as an adsorbent to remove organic toxic materials (Rhodamine B (RhB)) from water and an alternative to the toxic cadmium sulfide (CdS) buffer for thin-film solar cells, respectively. Primary characterization tools such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy were used to analyze the SnS 2 nanoparticles and thin films. At a reaction time of 180 min, 0.4 g/L of SnS 2 nanoparticles showed the highest adsorption capacity of 85% for RhB (10 ppm), indicating that SnS 2 is an appropriate adsorbent. The fabricated Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) device with SnS 2 as a buffer showed a conversion efficiency (~5.1%) close to that (~7.5%) of a device fabricated with the conventional CdS buffer, suggesting that SnS 2 has potential as an alternative buffer.