Alcohol amine system was applied as new solvent to prepare CuInS2 (CIS2) nanoparticles via a facile hot injection method. The phase structure and morphology of synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. It turned out that pure-phase wurtzite CIS2 nanoplates can be synthesized at a low temperature of 140 degrees C within 5 min with monoethanolamine as solvent and PEG as surfactant, while chalcopyrite and wurtzite phases co-existed in CIS2 products obtained using triethanolamine as the solvent. This work suggested alcohol amine as a cheap, green and effective solvent for the preparation of CIS2 nanoparticles. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.