A hydrothermal approach to flake-shaped CdS single crystals

The morphological transformation process from CdS nanorods to hexagonal CdS flakes was investigated in detail by transmission electron microscope (TEM). The CdS flakes were liable to form with the alkalinity being increased and the reaction time being prolonged. Using this transformation, hexagonal CdS flakes with diameters of 0.3 cm were grown via a recrystallization process in 6 mol/L sodium hydroxide solution at 250 °C. And the formation mechanism of CdS flakes is suggested based on the growth habits of polar crystals under proper basic hydrothermal conditions.