Synthesis of organically capped and water soluble metal sulfide semiconductor nanoparticles
Loading...
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
Well-defined faceted shaped organically and water soluble metal sulfide nanoparticles
have been successfully synthesized using a hybrid solution based high temperature colloidal
route in the presence of organic surfactants as both stabilizers and crystal growth modifiers.
The structure and morphology of the as-prepared metal sulfide nanoparticles were
characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high
resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), UV-Vis and photoluminescence
spectrophotometry. By varying important parameters such as the metal precursors, reaction
temperature, reaction time and organic surfactants, various nanomaterials with a range of
morphologies and sizes were obtained. The morphologies of the organically soluble PbS nanoparticles was influenced by the
variation in lead sources and organic surfactant. By varying the lead source HDA capped
particles with morphologies ranging from close to spheres, elongated particles and perfect
cubes were formed. When the capping group was changed to TOPO, predominantly rod
shaped particles were obtained. The growth mechanism for the anisotropic HDA capped PbS
is mostly likely due an oriented attachment mechanism. The formation of the rod shaped
TOPO capped PbS is due to the impurities in TOPO. The X-ray diffraction and high
resolution electron microscopy studies show that the particles are crystalline.
Description
A thesis in the Department of Chemistry submitted to the Faculty of Science and Agriculture in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
of the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2013.
Keywords
Nanoparticles