Polyol-Mediated Synthesis of PbS Crystals: Shape Evolution and Growth Mechanism

An interesting shape evolution of. PbS crystals, that is, from cubes to (truncated) octahedra and finally to stable star-shaped multipods with six arms along the < 100 > directions is first realized via a facile polyol-mediated reaction between lead acetate and sulfur powder in the absence of surfactants. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) techniques were employed to characterize the samples. We elucidate the important parameters (including reaction temperature and sulfur sources) responsible for the shape-controlled synthesis of PbS crystals.

Morphology control of nanoscale PbS particles in a polyol process

Nanostructured PbS with different morphologies and particle sizes have been prepared through a polyol process. Narrow size distribution for star-shaped, octahedral, tetradecanehedral, and cubic products were achieved by slowly introducing the source materials using a peristaltic pump in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) as additive. Systematic variation of the kinetic factors, including the additive, the reaction temperature, the duration time, the ratio of source materials, the Sulfur sources, and the Pb(Ac)(2)center dot 3H(2)O concentration, reveals that the morphology depends mainly on the supersaturation degree of the free sulfur ions released from thiourea under elevated temperature.

Synthesis of Tributylphosphate Capped Luminescent Rare Earth Phosphate Nanocrystals in an Ionic Liquid Microemulsion

Uniform rare earth phosphate (REPO4, RE = La-Tb) nanocrystals were successfully synthesized in a properly designed TBP/[Omim]Cl/H2O (tributylphosphate/1-octyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride/water) microemulsion system. The phosphoryl groups anchored the TBP molecules oil the surfaces of the nanocrystals, and this made the nanocrystals easily dispersed in some imidazolium-based ILs. LaPO4:Eu3+ and CePO4:Tb3+ nanocrystals capped with TBP showed bright red and green emission under UV excitation, with enhanced emission intensity and lifetimes compared with the uncapped ones.