Controlled growth of CdS nanoparticles in polyurushiol matrices

A method for fabrication of urushiol–cadmium coordination polymer was developed under UV irradiation, and then hybrid composites of CdS nanoparticles embedded in polyurushiol (PU) matrices were prepared by immersion the coordination polymer in thioacetamide (TAA). XPS measurements showed the coordination between cadmium ion and oxygen after UV irradiation. In the course of UV irradiation, the hydroxyl groups on the phenyl ring of urushiol were dissociated to urushiol semiquinone, and coordinated with cadmium ions to form complexes. The –OH groups on the phenyl ring of urushiol acted as the coordination sites for cadmium ion aggregations and the nanosized CdS particles were successfully grown in situ at these sites with the release of S2− ions from TAA. The results from X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis and the FT-IR spectra showed the formation of CdS nanoparticles and the polymerization of urushiol monomers. TEM showed that CdS nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed in PU matrices. TG analysis showed that the PU/CdS nanocomposites had excellent thermo-stability. A possible formation mechanism of CdS nanoparticles in the PU matrices was also suggested based on the experimental results.