Silica gel-assisted solvothermal production of CdS, CuxS (x=1, 2) and ZnS with different morphologies

CdS, CuxS (x=1, 2) and ZnS with different morphologies were produced by the solvothermal reactions of M(CH3COO)2·2H2O (M=Cd, Cu and Zn) and NH2CSNH2 in hexane with and without silica gel as a hard template at 200 °C for 24 h. The product phases were detected using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Different morphologies were characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The existence of silica gel in modeling morphologies of the sulfides was characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer. Raman spectra of different products show the vibrations at the same wavenumbers, although they are composed of different morphologies. Photoluminescence (PL) emissions of the corresponding phases with different morphologies are at the same values, but their intensities are increased by template adding.