Influence of Triethanolamine On The Chemical Bath Deposited Nis Thin Films

American Journal of Applied Sciences 8 (4): 359-361, 2011
ISSN 1546-9239
© 2010 Science Publications
Influence of Triethanolamine on the Chemical

Bath Deposited NiS Thin Films
Anuar Kassim, Ho Soon Min, Tan Wee Tee and Ngai Chee Fei
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia,
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
Abstract: Problem statement: Recently, many scientists looking for new chalcogenide materials for
the solar cell applications. Nowadays, silicon-based solar cell became dominant products in the market.
Because of expensive silicon-based solar cells, scientists hope replaces it with cheaper chalcogenide
materials. Approach: The binary chalcogenide materials were deposited onto microscope glass slide
using simple chemical bath deposition method. Here, we study the influence of complexing agent in
the preparation of thin films. The structural and morphological of the deposited films have been
studied using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Results: The X-ray
diffraction data showed that the films had polycrystalline in nature with hexagonal structure. The films
deposited using 0.1 M of triethanolamine showed more NiS peaks and larger grain sizes as compared
with 0.05M and 0.2 M triethanolamine based on the X-ray diffraction and scanning electron
microscopy analysis, respectively. Conclusion: The complexing agent played important role during
the deposition process.
Key words: Complexing agent, chemical bath deposition, triethanolamine, thin films, material
wastage, cheaper chalcogenide, larger grain sizes, microscope glass slide, X-Ray
diffraction, scanning electron microscopy
INTRODUCTION In this study, we report for the first time the effects
towards the NiS thin films properties by varying the
In recent years, the synthesis and characterization concentrations (0.05-0.2 M) of triethanolamine. The
of metal chalcogenide thin films have attracted great structural and morphological of thin films were
attention due to their brilliant applications such as solar investigated.
cells, sensor and laser materials. Chemical bath
deposition method has many benefits such as simple, no MATERIALS AND METHODS
requirement of sophisticated instruments, minimum
material wastage and easy coating of large surfaces. Microscope glass slides were used as the substrate
This method is based on the controlled release of the during the deposition process. The substrates were first
metal ions and chalcogenide ions in an aqueous bath cleaned in ethanol and then ultrasonically washed with
into which the substrates are immersed. Several authors distilled water. Finally, substrates were dried in an oven
have reported on the chemical bath deposition of FeS2
at 90°C. Nickel sulphate, sodium thiosulphate,
(Anuar et al., 2010a), CdS (Cao et al., 2010), ZnO
triethanolamine and hydrochloric acid of analytical
(Abdullah et al., 2009), In2S3 (Asenjo et al., 2010),
reagent grade were used as received. Aqueous solutions
PbSe (Kassim et al., 2010), CdSe (Gopakumar et al.,
2010), SnS (Guneri et al., 2010), Cu4SnS4 (Anuar et al., of nickel sulphate, sodium thiosulphate and
2010b), SbCuS (Ekuma et al., 2010), CuInSe2 (Hankare triethanolamine were separately prepared before
et al., 2010), CuBiS2 (Sonawane et al., 2004) and experiment. 25 mL of nickel sulphate (0.15 M) and 25
Cd0.5Zn0.5Se (Kale et al., 2007) thin films from aqueous mL of triethanolamine (0.05- 0.2 M) were mixed in a
solution. Sometimes, several complexing agents have beaker. Then, 25 mL of sodium thiosulphate (0.15 M)
been utilized in the deposition of thin films such as was added and the pH of the solution was adjusted to
disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, tartaric acid, 1.5 by addition of hydrochloric acid using pH meter.
ammonia, triethanolamine and nitrilotriacetic acid. Substrates were immersed vertically in the solution.
Corresponding Author: Anuar Kassim, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia,
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia Tel: +60389466779 Fax: +60389435380
359
Am. J. Applied Sci., 8 (4): 359-361, 2011
Then, the beaker was placed in water bath at desired

temperature of 80 °C. The beaker was not stirred during
the thin films deposition. After completion of films
deposition (90 min), the deposited films were washed
with distilled water and dried in air.
X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out using a
Philips PM 11730 diffractometer for the 2θ ranging
from 30°-70° with CuKα (λ = 1.5418 Å) radiation. The
surface morphology was observed by a scanning
electron microscopy (JEOL, JSM-6400). All the
samples taken at 20 kV with a 2000 X magnification.
RESULTS
(a)
In this study, the structure characterization and
surface morphology were performed using the X-ray
diffraction and scanning electron microscopy,
respectively. Table 1 shows the X-Ray Diffraction
(XRD) data of the nickel sulphide thin films deposited
at different concentrations of triethanolamine. The
results of the experiments showed that the
concentration of triethanolamine affect the number of
NiS peaks as presented in the Table 1. The XRD data
demonstrated that the NiS peaks increased with the rise
in concentration of triethanolamine (TEA) up to 0.1 M.
Conversely, the NiS peak dropped for the films
deposited at higher concentration of TEA (0.2 M).
Figure 1 shows the Scanning Electron Microscopy
(SEM) micrographs of the chemical bath deposited NiS (b)
thin films prepared under various concentrations of
triethanolamine. The increase in grain size reached
maximum for the films deposited using 0.1 M TEA,
then a slightly decreased as the concentration of TEA is
further increased to 0.2 M. There was a significant
influence of concentration of complexing agent
(triethanolamine) on the properties of thin films.
Table .1: Comparison of the JCPDS d-spacing data for nickel

sulphide thin films to experimentally observed values for
the samples deposited at various concentrations of
triethanolamine
d-spacing (Å)
Concentration --------------------------------
of TEA (M) 2θ (°) hkl Observed JCPDS
0.05 34.4 101 2.56 2.59
45.5 102 1.98 1.98 (c)
0.1 34.4 101 2.57 2.59
45.7 102 1.99 1.98
53.6 110 1.72 1.72 Fig. 1: Scanning electron microscopy micrograph of
61.1 103 1.53 1.52 NiS thin films prepared at various
0.2 34.4 101 2.57 2.59
45.7 102 1.99 1.98 concentrations of triethanolamine. (a) 0.05M
53.0 110 1.72 1.72 (b) 0.1 M (c) 0.2 M
360
Am. J. Applied Sci., 8 (4): 359-361, 2011
DISCUSSION Anuar, K., W.T. Tan, M. Jelas, S.M. Ho and S.Y.

Gwee, 2010b. Effects of deposition period on the
Based on the XRD data obtained, all the samples properties of FeS2 thin films by chemical bath
indicated polycrystalline in nature. There are only two deposition method. Thammasat Int. J. Sci. Technol.,
peaks attributable to hexagonal phase of NiS were 15: 62-69.
obtained for the films deposited with 0.05 M TEA. The Anuar, K., Z. Kuang, A. Sharif, T.W. Tee and H.S. Min
number of peaks increased to four as the concentration et al., 2010a. Preparation and studies of chemically
of triethanolamine was increased to 0.1 M. However, deposited Cu4SnS4 thin films in the presence of
as the concentration of triethanolamine was increased complexing agent Na2EDTA. Ind. J. Eng. Mater.
further to 0.2 M, the number of peaks decreased to three Sci., 17: 295-298.
indicating less favorable conditions for the formation of Asenjo, B., C. Guilln, A.M. Chaparro, E. Saucedo and
NiS films. All the peaks matched well with the standard V. Bermudez et al., 2010. Properties of In2S3 thin
Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standard films deposited onto ITO/glass substrates by
(JCPDS) data (Reference code: 00-065-0830) for chemical bath deposition. J. Phys. Chem. Solids,
hexagonal phase of NiS. For the films deposited using 71: 1629-1633. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2010.09.011
0.05M of triethanolamine, the growth of the grains was Cao, M., Y. Sun, J. Wu, X. Chen and N. Dai, 2010.
not distributed evenly and focused at certain part of the Effects of cadmium salts on the structure,
substrate. The grains were found to be small and the morphology and optical properties of acidic
size of the grains varied from 2 to 10 μm. On the other chemical bath deposited CdS thin films. J. Alloys
hand, it is observed that the films deposited using 0.1M Compd., 508: 297-300. DOI:
TEA have larger grain sizes (16-20 μm) as compared 10.1016/j.jallcom.2010.08.066
with the films deposited using 0.2 M TEA. This is due Ekuma, C., M. Nnabuchi, A. Nwabueze and I. Owate,
to the fact that higher concentration of complexing 2010. Optical characterization of chemically
agent hinders the deposition of nickel sulphide thin deposited SbCuS thin films. Ceram. Trans.
films. Furthermore, the surface morphology of these DOI: 10.1002/9780470930991.ch22
films (0.1 M TEA) are becomes more homogeneous. It Gopakumar, N., P.S. Anjana and P.K.V. Pillai, 2010.
is found that the films deposited using 0.2 M of Chemical bath deposition and characterization of
triethanolamine is irregular and the sizes of the grains CdSe thin films for optoelectronic applications. J.
are dissimilar to each other (8-16 μm). Mater. Sci., 45: 6653-6656. DOI: 10.1007/s10853-
CONCLUSION 010-4756-1
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NiS thin films were deposited on microscope glass F. Gode et al., 2010. Effect of deposition time on
substrate using the chemical bath deposition method. structural, electrical, and optical properties of SnS
The X-ray diffraction data indicated that the number of thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition.
peaks increased as the concentration of triethanolamine Applied Surf. Sci., 257: 1189-1195. DOI:
was increased up to 0.1M. Based on the scanning 10.1016/j.apsusc.2010.07.104
electron microscopy analysis, the grains were found to Hankare, P.P., K.C. Rathod, P.A. Chate, A.V. Jadhav
be small for the films deposited using 0.05 M TEA. and I.S. Mulla, 2010. Preparation and
However, the grain size was much bigger for the films characterization of CuInse2 thin films by chemical
prepared using 0.1 and 0.2M of TEA. bath deposition technique. J. Alloys Compd., 500:
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Kale, R.B., C.D. Lokhande, R.S. Mane and S.H. Han,
2007. Cd0.5Zn0.5Se wide range composite thin films
The researchers would like to thank the
for solar cell buffer layer application. Applied Surf.
Department of Chemistry, University Putra Malaysia Sci., 253: 3109-3112. DOI:
for the provision of laboratory facilities and MOSTI for 10.1016/j.apsusc.2006.06.064
the National Science Fellowship. Kassim, A., S.M. Ho, A.H. Abdullah and S.
Nagalingam, 2010. XRD, AFM and UV-Vis
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American Journal of Applied Sciences 8 (4): 359-361, 2011

Influence of Triethanolamine on the Chemical

Then, the beaker was placed in water bath at desired

Table .1: Comparison of the JCPDS d-spacing data for nickel

DISCUSSION Anuar, K., W.T. Tan, M. Jelas, S.M. Ho and S.Y.

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