Novel solvothermal synthesis and characterization of Ag2S/PbSO4 nanocomposites

Novel Ag2S/PbSO4 nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized by solvothermal process in propylene glycol as solvent. In this study, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was applied not only as a surfactant, but also as a sulfur source to produce Ag2S/PbSO4. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The absorption and photoluminescence study of the Ag2S/PbSO4 nanocomposite showed quantum confinement behavior with band gap of 3.1 eV. Moreover, effects of reaction time on the morphology and particle sizes of the final products have been investigated by SEM images.