Shape-Controlled Synthesis of ZnS Nanostructures: A Simple and Rapid Method for One-Dimensional Materials by Plasma

Hu Peng,Chen Yunfa,Yuan Fangli,Bai Liuyang,Li Jinlin,Yu Lingjie

doi:10.1007/s11671-009-9358-y

Hu Peng, Chen Yunfa + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s11671-009-9358-y

Copy DOI

Journal: Nanoscale Research Letters	Publication Date: Jun 4, 2009
Citations: 33	License type: CC BY 2.0

Affiliation: Institute of Process Engineering

Abstract

In this paper, ZnS one-dimensional (1D) nanostructures including tetrapods, nanorods, nanobelts, and nanoslices were selectively synthesized by using RF thermal plasma in a wall-free way. The feeding rate and the cooling flow rate were the critical experimental parameters for defining the morphology of the final products. The detailed structures of synthesized ZnS nanostructures were studied through transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscope. A collision-controlled growth mechanism was proposed to explain the growth process that occurred exclusively in the gas current by a flowing way, and the whole process was completed in several seconds. In conclusion, the present synthetic route provides a facile way to synthesize ZnS and other hexagonal-structured 1D nanostructures in a rapid and scalable way.

Highlights

In the past decade, considerable effort has been paid on the preparation of 1D nanostructures such as nanorods, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanotubes due to their potential application as building blocks for constructing a range of electronic and photonic nanodevices (such as nanolasers, ZnS is an important II–VI group semiconductor compound with a direct band gap of 3.7 eV that exhibits wide optical transparency from the visible light (0.4 lm) to the deep infrared region (12 lm), which makes ZnS as one of the most common materials used in optical and optoelectronic fields [10,11,12]
We reported that the synthesis of ZnS 1D nanostructures in a scalable way using Zn and S powder as the starting materials, and the product shape could be well controlled by adjusting the experiment parameters
The inset show exhibits the detailed morphology of a single tetrapod ZnS, which indicates that as-synthesized crystal consists of four rodshaped tetrahedrally arranged legs connected at the center, forming a tetrapod structure

Summary

Introduction

Considerable effort has been paid on the preparation of 1D nanostructures such as nanorods, nanowires, nanobelts, and nanotubes due to their potential application as building blocks for constructing a range of electronic and photonic nanodevices (such as nanolasers, ZnS is an important II–VI group semiconductor compound with a direct band gap of 3.7 eV that exhibits wide optical transparency from the visible light (0.4 lm) to the deep infrared region (12 lm), which makes ZnS as one of the most common materials used in optical and optoelectronic fields [10,11,12]. Thermal evaporation has been confirmed to be a simple way to obtain ZnS 1D nanostructures with different morphology.

Results

Conclusion