PEG mediated solvothermal synthesis of fine ZnS sub-micro and microspheres and their optical properties

•Fine ZnS microspheres have been synthesized with the aid of TAA and EDTA in PEG via facile solvothermal process.•The ZnS microspheres are constructed from irregularly shaped crystallites.•The role of EDTA, TAA and PEG has been discussed for formation of ZnS microspheres.

Fine ZnS sub-micro and microspheres have been successfully synthesized via facile solvothermal route with the aid of nonionic surfactant polyethylene glycol (PEG) and chelating reagent ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and selective area electron diffraction pattern (SAED) are employed to characterize such microspheres by means of their phase, size and morphological evolution while their optical property is examined using UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. The role of EDTA, PEG and thioacetamide (TAA) in solution has been conferred and a possible growth mechanism is also proposed for the formation of ZnS microspheres.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide