Investigation on synthesis, characterization and associated photocatalytic properties of transition metal (Mn & Ni) doped CdS and ZnS nanomaterials

Abstract

Nanodimensional state of the materials gain much attention among the recent day researchers owing to their appreciable physical and chemical properties. Their potential involvement and impartation in the recent day technologies promote them as the efficient candidate in the fabrication of electronic, optoelectronic, storage devices, phosphors and photocatalytic materials. For the past two decades they are intensively studied to explore their fundamental properties and to pave new path to the new technological dimensions. Among various materials namely, III-V, IV-VI and II-VI, the IIVI materials and their related alloys are most extensively imparted in investigations due to their versatile and noticeable properties. Variety of II-VI compound semiconductors are presently explored such as CdO, CdTe, CdSe, ZnSe, ZnMgTe, ZnO, HgS etc. In this respect, CdS and ZnS are regarded as most regarded and experimented materials on account of their extraordinary physical and chemical properties when they are in nanodimensional form. Their intrinsic properties can be widely altered when are imbibed with impurity atoms. The impurity atom are belonged to transition metal groups and they are considerably altered the physical and chemical properties of the host system. The CdS and ZnS nanomaterials are chosen as the host; Mn2+ and Ni2+ ions are selected as dopant elements. To enroll the impurity elements in the host matrices, wet chemical precipitation is utilized. The doping level is fixed as 5, 10 and 15 wt % and the medium is altered for the pH values 9.0, 10.0 and 11.0 using liquid ammonia. The wet chemical procedure under room temperature ambient is imposed to prepare Cd1-xMxS with x = 5, 10 and 15 wt % of M (M = Mn, Ni). The pH value of the medium is fixed at 9.0, 10.0 and 11.0. The obtained iv samples are subjected for their properties evaluation tests. The structural investigations are confirmed that Cd1-xMnxS and Cd1-xNixS express the cubic zinc blende and hexagonal wurtzite structure respectively.