The Role of the Liquid–Liquid Interface in the Synthesis of Nonequilibrium Crystalline Wurtzite ZnS at Room Temperature

Abstract

In this research, the role that the organic–inorganic liquid interface plays in the synthesis of nonequilibrium crystalline materials is investigated. A hierarchical nanocrystalline film of wurtzite ZnS, the high-temperature stable phase, is successfully prepared at room temperature by an interfacial in situ fabrication process. The organic–inorganic liquid interface constructed by n-hexane and water acts as the reaction zone for the synthesis of ZnS nanocrystalline film. A series of experimental results have proved that the liquid–liquid interface is the key factor for wurtzite ZnS formation at room temperature without any additive. The ZnS film consists of core–shell subunits characterized by ZnS nanoparticles around an organic core. Between the liquid–liquid interface, the core–shell subunits are coupled onto the surface of a SAM-modified substrate by terminal amino groups, so that the ZnS nanocrystalline film is formed by a layer-by-layer mode. This research brings forward a feasible route for synthesizing wurtzite ZnS in one-step process at room temperature and provides some beneficial information for studying the structural kinetics of nonequilibrium crystalline synthesis.