Growth of Hydrothermally Derived CdS-Based Nanostructures with Various Crystal Features and Photoactivated Properties

CdS crystallites with rod- and flower-like architectures were synthesized using a facile hydrothermal growth method. The hexagonal crystal structure of CdS dominated the growth mechanisms of the rod- and flower-like crystallites under specific growth conditions, as indicated by structural analyses. The flower-like CdS crystallites had a higher crystal defect density and lower optical band gap value compared with the rod-like CdS crystallites. The substantial differences in microstructures and optical properties between the rod- and flower-like CdS crystallites revealed that the flower-like CdS crystallites exhibited superior photoactivity, and this performance could be further enhanced through appropriate thermal annealing in ambient air. A postannealing procedure conducted in ambient air oxidized the surfaces of the flower-like CdS crystallites and formed a CdO phase. The formation of heterointerfaces between the CdS and CdO phases mainly contributed to the improved photoactivity of the synthesized flower-like CdS crystallites.