title: Novel microwave assisted synthesis of ZnS nanomaterials.
abstract: A novel ambient pressure microwave assisted technique is developed in which silver and indium-modified ZnS is synthesized. The as-prepared ZnS is characterized by x-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and luminescence spectroscopy. This procedure produced crystalline materials with particle sizes below 10 nm. The synthesis technique leads to defects in the crystal which induce mid-energy levels in the band gap and lead to indoor light photocatalytic activity. Increasing the amount of silver causes a phase transition from cubic blende to hexagonal phase ZnS. In a comparative study, when the ZnS cubic blende is heated in a conventional chamber furnace, it is completely converted to ZnO at 600 °C. Both cubic blende and hexagonal ZnS show excellent photocatalytic activity under irradiation from a 60 W light bulb. These ZnS samples also show significantly higher photocatalytic activity than the commercially available TiO(2) (Evonik-Degussa P-25).
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Engineering Surface Technology, FOCAS Institute, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8, Ireland.
authors.forename: Damian W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Synnott
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Seery
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hinder
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Colreavy
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Pillai
mesh_terms: D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods*; D008422:Materials Testing; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008872:Microwaves; D008968:Molecular Conformation / Q000528:radiation effects; D010316:Particle Size; D018036:Selenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013499:Surface Properties / Q000528:radiation effects; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D018036:Selenium Compounds; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C044696:zinc selenide