Abstract
Nanoclusters of cadmium sulfide (CdS) were synthesized by chemical precipitation using cadmium acetate and thiourea as cadmium and sulfur sources, respectively. Uncapped and capped CdS nanoclusters were synthesized to accomplish a comparative study. The capping agent used was triethanolamine (TEA). XRD analysis revealed the cubic zinc blende structure of the CdS nanoclusters. FE-SEM images show nanoclusters of CdS formed by the aggregation of CdS nanoparticles. Cadmium and sulfur peaks with no impurity phases appeared in EDS spectra. FTIR spectra confirmed the adsorption of TEA on the CdS surface. UV–Vis spectroscopy exhibited a blue shift in the absorption edge of the synthesized CdS nanoclusters which reveals the quantum confinement of the CdS. The band gaps for uncapped and capped CdS nanoclusters were found to be 4.9 and 5.1 eV, respectively. Capped CdS nanoclusters exhibited smaller crystallite size and higher bandgap in contrast to uncapped CdS nanoclusters. Capping agents such as TEA can pave the way for synthesis of nanomaterials with tailored properties for specific applications.
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