Role of initial morphology in H2S treated cadmium arachidate Langmuir - Blodgett films

► Multilayer cadmium arachidate LB films with different morphologies were studied. ► Direct microscopic evidence of formation of CdS nanoparticles was observed. ► Mount-like structures develop due to out of plane molecular motion in compact films. ► For non-compact films, lateral expansion and molecular rearrangement dominates. ► Partial conversion of about 60% cadmium arachidate to CdS could be achieved.