Solid–Solid Phase Transformations Induced through Cation Exchange and Strain in 2D Heterostructured Copper Sulfide Nanocrystals

We demonstrate dual interface formation in nanocrystals (NCs) through cation exchange, creating epitaxial heterostructures within spherical NCs. The thickness of the inner-disk layer can be tuned to form two-dimensional (2D), single atomic layers (<1 nm). During the cation exchange reaction from copper sulfide to zinc sulfide (ZnS), we observe a solid–solid phase transformation of the copper sulfide phase in heterostructured NCs. As the cation exchange reaction is initiated, Cu ions replaced by Zn ions at the interfaces are accommodated in intrinsic Cu vacancy sites present in the initial roxbyite (Cu1.81S) phase of copper sulfide, inducing a full phase transition to djurleite (Cu1.94S)/low chalcocite (Cu2S), a more thermodynamically stable phase than roxbyite. As the reaction proceeds and reduces the size of the copper sulfide layer, the epitaxial strain at the interfaces between copper sulfide and ZnS increases and is maximized for a copper sulfide disk ∼5 nm thick. To minimize this strain energy, a second phase transformation occurs back to the roxbyite phase, which shares a similar sulfur sublattice to wurtzite ZnS. The observation of a solid–solid phase transformation in our unique heterostructured NCs provides a new pathway to control desired phases and an insight into the influence of cation exchange on nanoscale phase transitions in heterostructured materials.