I-III-VI chalcogenide semiconductor nanocrystals: Synthesis, properties, and applications

Colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals have been proven to be promising candidates for applications in low-cost and high-performance photovoltaics, bioimaging, and photocatalysis due to their novel size- and shape-dependent properties. Among the colloidal systems, I-III-VI semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) have drawn much attention in the past few decades. Compared to binary NCs, ternary I-III-VI NCs not only exhibit low toxicity, but also a high performance similar to that of binary NCs. In this review, we mainly focus on the synthesis, properties, and applications of I-III-VI NCs. We summarize the major synthesis methods, analyze their photophysical and electronic properties, and highlight some of the latest applications of I-III-VI NCs in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, bioimaging, and photocatalysis. Finally, based on the information reviewed, we highlight the existing problems and challenges.