Solid state synthesis of cadmium doped ZnS with excellent photocatalytic activity and enhanced visible light emission

Pure and Cd-doped ZnS nanoparticles were synthesized by inexpensive solid state reaction method at different percentages (0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 wt.%). The structural, functional, optical, morphological and photocatalytic properties were characterized by using X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform of infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were done using energy dispersive X-ray analysis. In XRD pattern crystalline size, microstrain, dislocation density and lattice constant were found and they confirmed the crystalline nature with cubic structure. SEM and TEM exposed the great quantity of sphere-shaped particles and the elements Zn, S and Cd were identified from EDS. The photo-degradation rate was sturdily inclined by activation of ZnS photocatalyst with photon and creation of hydroxyl radicals. This suggested that Cd doping enhanced catalytic activity in the ZnS lattice.