Synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic activity of monodisperse flowerlike nanoarchitectures assembled from CdS nanoflakes with exposed {0 0 1} facets

Monodisperse flowerlike nanoarchitectures assembled from CdS nanoflakes with a diameter of about 0.85 μm were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction of CdCl2 with thiocarbamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone and H2O at 180 °C for 6.0 h. The constituent CdS nanoflakes have perfect hexagonal shape with the side lengths of 0.37–0.38 μm and the thicknesses of 60–70 nm. Sphere like particles assembled from CdS nanocrystals formed firstly evolved into flowerlike architectures assembled from nanoflakes via an oriented attachment process due to the selective adsorption of PVP on (0 0 1) surface of CdS with the wurtzite structure. The as-obtained CdS flowerlike nanoarchitectures with exposed {0 0 1} facets show higher intrinsic photocatalytic activity than CdS branched nanostructures and commercial powders for degradation of malachite green.

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► Monodisperse CdS flowerlike nanostructures are synthesized by a hydrothermal route.
► The nanoarchitectures are formed via an oriented attachment process.
► The formation of the nanoflakes results from the selective adsorption of PVP.
► The nanoarchitectures show good photocatalytic ability to degrade malachite green.
► The photocatalytic activity was enhanced in comparison with commercial CdS powders.