Size Control of ZnS Nanoparticles by Electro-Spray Deposition Method

Abstract

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) semiconductor nanoparticles were prepared by electro-spray deposition (ESD) method. ESD method is a particle preparation process via the spray pyrolysis route, in which droplets are generated at the nozzle tip in combination with the evaporation of the solvent in the droplets. We fabricated nanoparticles whose sizes were controlled to the single-digit nanometer scale through precise control of the applied voltage and nozzle tip diameter. We successfully obtained nanoparticles whose sizes were 9.7 nm on average and with 3.1 nm full-width half-maximum of the distribution after optimizing the nozzle tip diameter and the applied voltage. We also confirmed that the obtained nanoparticles had the wurtzite structure of ZnS, and the inside consisted of a single crystal phase according to the X-ray diffraction measurements and the high-resolution transmission electron microscope images.