Synthesis of quantum-confined CdS nanotubes

TL;DR

This paper reports the synthesis of quantum-confined CdS nanotubes with specific dimensions, demonstrating quantum confinement effects through optical property shifts, and proposes a mechanism involving bubble and particle nucleation during formation.

Contribution

The study introduces a chemical synthesis method for CdS nanotubes with controlled dimensions and provides insights into their formation mechanism involving bubble and particle interactions.

Findings

CdS nanotubes with 14.4 nm diameter and 4.7 nm wall thickness were synthesized.

Nanotubes exhibit significant blue shift in optical absorption and photoluminescence.

Formation mechanism involves nucleation and growth of bubbles and particles.

Abstract

CdS nanotubes with wall thickness comparable to excitonic diameter of the bulk material are synthesized by a chemical route. A change in experimental conditions result in formation of nanowires, and well-separated nanoparticles. The diameter and wall thickness of nanotubes measured to be 14.4 $\pm$ 6.1 and 4.7 $\pm$ 2.2 nm, respectively. A large number of CdS nanocrystallites having wurzite structure constitute these nanotubes. These nanotubes show high energy shifting of optical absorption and photoluminescence peak positions, compared to its bulk value, due to quantum confinement effect. It is proposed that nucleation and growth of bubbles and particles in the chemical reaction, and their kinetics and interactions are responsible for the formation of nanotubes.