Cadmium Chloride and Cadmium Iodide Thiosemicarbazone Complexes as Single Source Precursors for CdS Nanoparticles

Abstract—

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles have been synthesized from CdX₂ (X = Cl^–, I^–) complexes of 4-chlorobenzaldehyde and benzophenone thiosemicarbazone. The complexes have been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, FT-IR, and NMR spectroscopy. The solvothermal decomposition of the complexes has afforded oleylamine-capped CdS nanoparticles with a wurtzite hexagonal phase. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies show different morphologies which are influenced by reaction temperature and the nature of the ligands on the precursor complexes. Particles in the form of irregular cubes, elongated cubes and nanodendrites have been observed. The UV-Vis spectroscopy measurements show temperature and nature of complex-dependant optical properties. Blue-shifted band gap energies have been observed at lower reaction temperatures.

APPENDIX A

Supporting information includes Scheme S1 (synthesis of complexes), proposed chemical structures (Fig. S1), ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra (Figs. S2–S9), IR spectra (Figs. S10–S13), thermograms (Fig. S14), powder X-ray diffraction patterns (Figs. S15–S17), UV-Vis absorption spectra (Figs. S18–S20), and average particle size diameter (Tables S1, S2) for compounds 1–4.