Wurtzite CuInS2 nanoplates have been synthesized using a simple one-pot colloidal chemical method, which is a direct heating process without any injection and pre-synthesis of any metal precursors. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been employed to characterize their morphology, crystalline phase, and composition, respectively. By changing the reaction conditions, such as reaction time, reaction temperatures and the Cu:In precursors ratio, the nanoplate thickness and composition can be tailored effectively. By monitoring the growth process of the as-obtained CuInS2 nanoplates, it found that the monoclinic Cu1.94S nanocrystals were firstly formed and gradually transformed to CuInS2 nanoplates with the increasing reaction time. C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.