Evolution of different morphologies of CdS nanoparticles by thermal decomposition of bis(thiourea)cadmium chloride in various solvents

CdS nanoparticles with different morphologies have been synthesized by thermal decomposition of bis(thiourea)cadmium chloride in different solvents without the use of any ligand/surfactant. CdS nanoparticles with pyramid, sponge-like and hexagonal disc-like morphologies were obtained in diphenyl ether (DPE), 1-octadecene (ODE) and ethylene glycol (EG), respectively. In addition, CdS nanoparticles with unique morphologies were obtained when the decomposition of the complex was carried out in mixed solvents (DPE–EG and ODE–EG). Extensive characterization of the CdS nanoparticles was carried out using powder X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, and detailed mechanism of the formation of CdS nanoparticles with different morphologies in various solvents has been proposed