Synthesis of CdS nanoparticles by electron irradiation technique

Abstract

Nanoparticles of cadmium sulfide have been synthesized by irradiating an ethanol-based solution of cadmium chloride and carbon disulfide with 6 MeV electrons, over a range of electron fluence 1014 to 1015 e/cm 2, at room temperature. The yellow colored powder obtained after drying the electron irradiated solution was characterized. Formation of nanocrystallites of CdS, with hexagonal structure and mean particle size of 2.2 nm, was confirmed by the XRD and TEM measurements. The growth of particle size as a function of electron fluence was investigated by UV–VIS spectroscopy. For the CdS nanoparticles synthesized by the chemical methods as well as by irradiating the solution with Co-60 gamma rays, the yield was poor and the particle distribution was wide. The electron-induced processes lead to formation of mono-dispersed CdS nanoparticles in a large quantity within a short period of irradiation.