SnS2

SnS2, or tin(IV) sulfide, is an inorganic compound with the formula SnS2. It is a layered metal dichalcogenide that crystallizes in a hexagonal, CdI2-type structure. In this arrangement, tin atoms occupy octahedral sites coordinated by six sulfide ions, and the layers are held together by van der Waals forces. The material can be exfoliated to form thin nanosheets and few-layer crystals, which enhances its two-dimensional electronic properties.

The synthesis of SnS2 can be accomplished by several methods, including direct sulfurization of tin or tin-containing precursors, sulfurization of tin oxides, and chemical vapor deposition or hydrothermal routes. These approaches yield bulk crystals or nanostructures suitable for electronic, optoelectronic, and catalytic studies.

SnS2 is a wide-bandgap semiconductor with an indirect bandgap around 2.0–2.3 eV and a higher-energy direct transition near 2.5–2.7 eV, depending on crystallinity and thickness. It commonly exhibits n-type conductivity due to intrinsic sulfur vacancies and related defects. The material is relatively chemically stable at room temperature but can oxidize or decompose at elevated temperatures in air.

Applications of SnS2 span photovoltaics, photoelectrochemical water splitting, gas sensing, and photodetectors. Its layered, two-dimensional form also makes it of interest for nanoelectronics and as a platform for studying band structure and defect engineering in metal dichalcogenides.