White luminescence from CdS nanocrystals under the blue light excitation

•Trap-rich CdS nanocrystals were synthesized.•CdS NCs have a broad emission across 500–700 nm under the excitation of blue light.•White light can be produced by mixing broad emission with the remaining blue light.

Trap-rich CdS nanocrystals were synthesized by employing CdSt2 and sulfur as precursors via thermal decomposition. Furthermore, X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), absorption and photoluminescence (PL) spectra were used to characterize structure, morphology and luminescence properties of CdS nanocrystals (NCs). CdS NCs have a broad emission across 500–700 nm under the excitation of blue light with 460 nm, consequently, white light can be produced by mixing broad emission from CdS NCs excited by blue light, with the remaining blue light. In addition, the broad emission generation is closely and inseparably related to surface defects. Moreover, LaMer model was used to explain the phenomenon that the intensity of the trap emission gradually decreases as the reaction time increases in contrast with that of the band-edge emission.

Graphical abstractTrap-rich CdS nanocrystals were synthesized. Furthermore, white light is produced by mixing broad emission across 500–700 nm from CdS NCs excited by blue light, in combination with the remaining blue light. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide