Low temperature synthesis of PbS and CdS nanoparticles in olive oil

Heterocyclic dithiocarbamate complexes; bis(dipiperidinyldithiocarbamato)M(II) and bis(ditetrahydroquinolinyldithio-carbamato)M(II), M= Pb and Cd, were used as precursors for the synthesis of PbS and CdS in olive oil. The precursors were thermolysed at a relatively low temperature of 180 °C. Distinct cube shaped PbS nanoparticles were obtained with the X-ray diffraction peaks assigned to the cubic rock salt phase. The optical properties of the olive-oil capped CdS particles synthesized at 180 °C showed evidence of quantum confinement. The CdS particles obtained from both precursors were spherical in shape with evidence of agglomeration in the transmission electron microscopy images.