ZnS nanoparticles prepared via simple reflux and hydrothermal method: Optical and photocatalytic properties

In this research, zinc sulfide nanoparticles (NPs) with various morphologies such as spherical, flower-like, microspheres decorated with nanoparticles and nanorods were synthesized by two distinct, simple and efficient methods. These approaches include reflux and hydrothermal methods. Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn(NO3)2).6H2O were used as Zn source and thioacetamide (TAA) was used as S source. The effects of TAA to zinc ion mole ratio were investigated on the morphology, particle size, optical and photocatalytic properties of ZnS nanocrystals. In hydrothermal synthesis with increasing Zn2+:TAA mole ratio from 1:1 to 1:2 dendrite-like nanocrystals changed to semi-spherical nanoparticles with average particle size 50–60 nm, with different effect as photocatalysts. But any change at morphology were didn't observed with changing Zn2+:TAA mole ratio from 1:1 to 1:30 in the reflux method. In the reflux method with increasing in Zn2+:TAA mole ratio, dispersed semi-sphere nanoparticles were observed. The synthesized nanocrystals were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. XRD analysis and FESEM images show that the size of synthesized ZnS NPs is in the range of 15–25 nm. UV–vis spectra showed that by increasing the amount of sulfur source and increasing the reaction time, λmax shifted towards lower wavelengths, and the band gap was in the range of ~ 3.9–4.8 eV for all of the samples. Also, photoluminescence (PL) analysis showed by increasing particle size and degree of agglomeration, emission intensity (λem) decreased. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared samples has been compared for the photocatalyst degradation of reactive blue 21. The sample with low Pl intensity has higher photocatalyst efficiency.