title: Heterocyclic dithiocarbamato-iron(III) complexes: single-source precursors for aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) of iron sulfide thin films.
abstract: Tris-(piperidinedithiocarbamato)iron(III) (1) and tris-(tetrahydroquinolinedithiocarbamato)iron(iii) (2) complexes have been synthesized and their single-crystal X-ray structures were determined. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the complexes showed decomposition to iron sulfide. Both complexes were then used as single-source precursors for the deposition of iron sulfide thin films by aerosol-assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD). Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy confirmed the formation of iron sulfide films. The addition of tert-butyl thiol almost doubled the sulfur content in the deposited films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the iron sulfide films from both complexes showed flakes/leaves/sheets, spherical granules and nanofibres. The sizes and shapes of these crystallites depended on the nature of the precursor, temperature, solvent and the amount of tert-butyl thiol used. The observed optical properties are dependent upon the variation of reaction parameters such as temperature and solvent. Powder X-ray diffraction (p-XRD) studies revealed that pyrrhotite, hexagonal (Fe0.975S), marcasite and smythite (Fe3S4) phases were differently deposited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Zululand, Private Bag X1001, KwaDlangezwa, 3886, South Africa. RevaprasaduN@unizulu.ac.za.
authors.forename: Sixberth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mlowe
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Mohammad Azad
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Malik
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raftery
authors.forename: Egid B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Mubofu
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: Neerish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Revaprasadu