Synthesis, Characterization, and Size Control of Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles Capped by Poly(ethylene glycol).

Zinc sulfide nanoparticles with controllable size were synthesized by chemical precipitation. Results from transmission electron microscopy and x-ray powder diffraction showed the samples were grown with the cubic phase. Particle size was varied by varying the molar ratio of zinc chloride to sodium sulfide in the presence of poly(ethylene glycol). The optical band gap was calculated on the basis of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and ranged from 4.13 to 4.31 eV depending on particle size. Surface passivation and adsorption of poly (ethylene glycol) on the nanoparticles was explained on the basis of Fourier-transform infrared measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]