The Preparation And Characterization Of Sulfide Nanostructures By Thioglycolic Acid Assisted Hydrothermal Method

Nanotechnology will be a strategic branch of science and engineering for the next century, one that will dramatically impact on the health, wealth, and security of the world's people. As the basis of the whole nanotechnology, nanostructures have significant effect on theories and applications. Also, owing to their distinguished optical and electronic properties, the synthesis of sulfide nanostructures has been a primary focus.In this paper, we reported a thioglycolic acid (TGA) assisted hydrothermal method to prepare sulfide nanostructures, such as SnSx, PbS and CuS. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and so on. The effects of reaction conditions including reaction temperature, time, and sulfur source on nanostructures and phase of the resulting products were studied. Furthermore, the mechanism of some sulfide structures was preliminary presented.Belt-like, leaf-like, and sheet-like SnSx (x=l,2) nanostructures were synthesized by thioglycolic acid assisted hydrothermal process using different ratio of sulfur and tin, temperature, and sulfur source. Keeping the temperature at 200 癈 for 48h, that the ratio of sulfur and tin was 1:4 could obtain the SnS2 nanobelts, and that the ratio was 1:10 could obtain the sheet-like SnS crystals. Moreover, using the ratio of 1:4 at 160C for 24h could obtain the leaf-like SnS2 nanostructures.Star-shaped and rod-like PbS nanostructures were also synthesized by thioglycolic acid assisted hydrothermal process. When using Pb(Ac)2 and thiourea as reactants, keeping pH value more than 10, the autoclave was maintained at 200C for 20h, the products were well crystallized star-shaped PbS nanostructures. Moreover, in our work, it was found that the PbS nanoparticles were formed by using other sulfursource or a pH value less than 7 in the hydrothermal method. When using PbSO4 and Na2S as reactants, the autoclave was maintained at 200C for 20h, the products were PbS nanorods.Using thioacetamide as sulfur source, CuS submicrometer hollow spheres consisting of nanoparticles were fabricated by thioglycolic acid assisted hydrothermal process. Furthermore, in this experiment, sulfur source played important role on the morphology and phase of products.