Low temperature synthesis of hexagonal phase ZnS nanocrystals by thermolysis of an air-stable single-source molecular precursor in air

Pure metastable hexagonal phase ZnS nanocrystals with the sizes in the range of 2.8 to 6.6 nm were synthesized by thermolysis of an air-stable, easily obtained single-source molecular precursor (zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, Zn-(DDTC)2)) in air at 280 °C for 12 h, and characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), and UV–Vis absorption spectrum.