Fabrication of polymer/ZnS nanoparticle composites by matrix-mediated synthesis

Zinc sulfide nanoparticles are obtained as primary particles in a polymer matrix by a matrix-mediated synthesis. Two types of matrix polymer are synthesized via the copolymerization of hydrophobic, cation-exchange, and cross-linking monomers. The ZnS nanoparticles are affected by the composition of the matrix polymer, and especially by its hydrophobicity. In a low-hydrophobicity copolymer matrix, aggregates of ZnS nanoparticles are observed in the matrix using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). In a high-hydrophobicity cation-exchange copolymer matrix, primary particles of ZnS with 2-5 nm diameters are observed in the matrix by TEM. However, the ZnS pattern is not distinguishable in XRD measurements because the particle sizes are too small to diffract X-rays.