Skip to main content
Log in

Preparation and Photocatalyst Properties of Zinc Sulfide Using a Distinct Sulfur Source: 1-Benzylidenethiourea

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Cluster Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Zinc sulfide nanostructures were prepared by hydro/solvothermal process via reaction of Zn(NO3)2 and a thio Schiff base ligand, 1-benzylidenethiourea (L) as new sulfuring agent in ethanol and water solvents. The obtained ZnS nanoparticles were studied structurally by XRD, EDX, FT-IR and UV–Vis spectroscopies and BET analysis. According to SEM and TEM images, it appears that the synthesized zinc sulfide have flower-like and sphere-like structures. Due to the quantum confinement effect in both structures, the ultraviolet absorption spectra show the blue shift in the band gap. From the results, it is obvious that the size and morphology of the obtained structures depend on solvent type, temperature and duration of reaction. The photocatalytic activities of the as-synthesized samples were evaluated by the color removal of methyl orange under UV irradiation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Scheme 1
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. D. Samanta, T. I. Chanu, and S. Chatterjee (2017). Citrus limetta juice as capping agent in hydrothermal synthesis of ZnS nanosphere for photocatalytic activity. Mater. Res. Bull. 88, 85–90.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. M. Dong, J. Zhang, and J. Yu (2015). Effect of effective mass and spontaneous polarization on photocatalytic activity of wurtzite and zinc-blende ZnS. APL Mater. 3, 104404.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. X. Fang, Y. Bando, M. Liao, U. K. Gautam, C. Zhi, B. Dierre, B. Liu, T. Zhai, T. Sekiguchi, and Y. Koide (2009). Single-crystalline ZnS nanobelts as ultraviolet-light sensors. Adv. Mater. 21, 2034–2039.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Q. Ma, Y. Wang, J. Kong, and H. Jia (2016). Tunable synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic properties of various ZnS nanostructures. Ceram. Int. 42, 2854–2860.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. K. Manzoor, S. Johny, D. Thomas, S. Setua, D. Menon, and S. Nair (2009). Bio-conjugated luminescent quantum dots of doped ZnS: a cyto-friendly system for targeted cancer imaging. Nanotechnology 20, 065102.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. S. Park, S. An, H. Ko, S. Lee, and C. Lee (2013). Synthesis, structure, and UV-enhanced gas sensing properties of Au-functionalized ZnS nanowires. Sens. Actuators B: Chem. 188, 1270–1276.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. A. A. Al-Kahtani, S. M. Alshehri, M. Naushad, and T. Ahamad (2019). Fabrication of highly porous N/S doped carbon embedded with ZnS as highly efficient photocatalyst for degradation of bisphenol. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 121, 415–423.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. C.-J. Chang, Y.-G. Lin, H.-T. Weng, and Y.-H. Wei (2018). Photocatalytic hydrogen production from glycerol solution at room temperature by ZnO-ZnS/graphene photocatalysts. Appl. Surf. Sci. 451, 198–206.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Dong, P. Zhou, C. Jiang, B. Cheng, and J. Yu (2017). First-principles investigation of Cu-doped ZnS with enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen production activity. Chem. Phys. Lett. 668, 1–6.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. L. Wang, P. Wang, B. Huang, X. Ma, G. Wang, Y. Dai, X. Zhang, and X. Qin (2017). Synthesis of Mn-doped ZnS microspheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity. Appl. Surf. Sci. 391, 557–564.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. O. Sacco, V. Vaiano, D. Sannino, R. Picca, and N. Cioffi (2019). Ag modified ZnS for photocatalytic water pollutants degradation: Influence of metal loading and preparation method. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 537, 671–681.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. J. S. McCloy and B. G. Potter (2013). Photoluminescence in Chemical Vapor Deposited ZnS: insight into electronic defects. Opt. Mater. Express. 3, 1273–1278.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. G. Murugadoss (2013). Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of zinc sulfide nanoparticles doped with copper using effective surfactants. Particuology. 11, 566–573.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. J. Zhao and H. Zhang (2012). Hydrothermal synthesis and characterization of ZnS hierarchical microspheres. Superlattices Microstruct. 51, 663–667.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. T. I. Chanu, D. Samanta, A. Tiwari, and S. Chatterjee (2017). Effect of reaction parameters on photoluminescence and photocatalytic activity of zinc sulfide nanosphere synthesized by hydrothermal route. Appl. Surf. Sci. 391, 548–556.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. S. Ummartyotin and Y. Infahsaeng (2016). A comprehensive review on ZnS: From synthesis to an approach on solar cell. Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 55, 17–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Y. Li, Q. Li, H. Wu, J. Zhang, H. Lin, M. Nie, and Y. Zhang (2013). High yield growth of uniform ZnS nanospheres with strong photoluminescence properties. Mater. Sci. Eng.: B. 178, 135–141.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. X. Xu, L. Hu, N. Gao, S. Liu, S. Wageh, A. A. Al-Ghamdi, A. Alshahrie, and X. Fang (2015). Controlled growth from ZnS nanoparticles to ZnS–CdS nanoparticle hybrids with enhanced photoactivity. Adv. Funct. Mater. 25, 445–454.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. M. Bazarganipour, M. Sahebi-Harandi, and M. Salavati-Niasari (2016). Synthesis of Posnjakite Nanoparticles in the Presence of a New Capping Agent. High Temp. Mater. Process. 35, 457–462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. H. Safardoust-Hojaghan, M. Shakouri-Arani, and M. Salavati-Niasari (2016). Structural and spectroscopic characterization of HgS nanoparticles prepared via simple microwave approach in presence of novel sulfuring agent. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China. 26, 759–766.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. M. Shakouri-Arani and M. Salavati-Niasari (2014). A facile and reliable route to prepare of flower shaped lead sulfide nanostructures from a new sulfur source. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 20, 3141–3149.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. M. Shakouri-Arani and M. Salavati-Niasari (2014). Structural and spectroscopic characterization of prepared Ag2S nanoparticles with a novel sulfuring agent. Spectrochim. Acta Part A: Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 133, 463–471.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. S. Saeednia, P. Iranmanesh, M. Hatefi Ardakani, and T. Vafaei (2019). Fabrication and luminescence properties of flower-like cadmium sulfide using 1-benzylidenethiourea as sulfur source and capping agent. J. Clust. Sci. 30(1), 105–113.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. I. Parvaneh, S. Samira, and N. Mohsen (2015). Characterization of ZnS nanoparticles synthesized by co-precipitation method. Chin. Phys. B. 24, 046104.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. W. S. Sheldrick and M. Wachhold (1997). Solventothermal Synthesis of Solid-State Chalcogenidometalates. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 36, 206–224.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. R. Jenkins and R. L. Snyder (1996). Introduction to X-ray Powder Diffractometry (Volume 138). Journal.

  27. D. C. Onwudiwe and C. A. Strydom (2015). The bipyridine adducts of N-phenyldithiocarbamato complexes of Zn (II) and Cd (II); synthesis, spectral, thermal decomposition studies and use as precursors for ZnS and CdS nanoparticles. Spectrochim. Acta Part A: Mol. Biomol. Spectrosc. 135, 1080–1089.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Support for this investigation by Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samira Saeednia.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pourjafari, D., Saeednia, S., Iranmanesh, P. et al. Preparation and Photocatalyst Properties of Zinc Sulfide Using a Distinct Sulfur Source: 1-Benzylidenethiourea. J Clust Sci 30, 571–580 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-019-01516-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10876-019-01516-9

Keywords

Navigation