Tetramethylthiourea ligand as a source for single molecular precursor in the synthesis of PbS nanoparticles

Abstract

Tetramethylthiourea lead(II) acetate complex was exploited as a single molecular precursor in the synthesis of PbS nanoparticles. Thermolysis of the Pb-complex was investigated by passivation with various amines having different alkyl chain lengths. Close to spherical particles with average particle sizes ranging from 9.97 to 112.64nm; cubes with the average particle size of 42.28nm; and rod shaped particles with lengths averaged from 42.01 to 45.12nm and breadths ranged from 12.41 to 13.71nm were formed during the thermolysis. Powder X-ray diffraction and high resolution electron microscopy techniques confirmed the cubic phase of the as-synthesised PbS with a lattice spacing of 0.34, 0.30 and 0.21nm, assigned to (111), (200) and (220) planes.