Synthesis and optical properties of Cr doped ZnS nanoparticles capped by 2-mercaptoethanol

Nanoparticles of Zn(1-x)Cr(x)S (x=0.00, 0.005, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03) were prepared by a chemical co-precipitation reaction from homogenous solutions of zinc and chromium salts. These nanoparticles were sterically stabilized using 2-mercaptoethanol. Here a study of the effect of Cr doping on structural, morphological and optical properties of nanoparticles was undertaken. Elemental analysis, morphological, structural and optical properties have been investigated by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-visible spectroscopy. EDAX measurements confirmed the presence of Cr in the ZnS lattice. XRD showed that ZnS:Cr nanoparticles crystallized in zincblende structure with preferential orientation along (1 1 1) plane. The average sizes of the nanoparticles lay in the range of 3-6 nm and lattice parameters were in the range of 5.2-5.4 angstrom. Lattice contraction was observed with an increase of Cr concentration. The particle size and lattice parameters obtained from TEM and SAED images were in agreement with the XRD results. The absorption edge shifted to lower wavelengths with an increase in Cr concentration as per UV-Vis spectroscopy. The band gap energy values were in the range of 3.85-4.05 eV. This blueshift is attributed to the quantum confinement effect. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.