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Simple and Low Temperature Preparation and Characterization of CdS Nanoparticles as a Highly Efficient Photocatalyst in Presence of a Low-Cost Ionic Liquid

V. Taghvaei^a, A. Habibi-Yangjeh^a,* and M. Behboudnia^b

^aDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, P.O. Box 179, Ardabil, Iran
^bDepartment of Physics, Urmia University of Technology, P.O. Box 57155-419, Urmia, Iran

A simple and low temperature method is proposed for preparation of CdS nanoparticles in presence of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, [EMIM] [EtSO4], a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). The powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies display that the products are excellently crystallized in the form of cubic structure and size of the nanparticles prepared in presence of the RTIL is smaller than that prepared in water. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) investigations reveal that the products are very pure and nearly stoichiometric. The results obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrate that the CdS nanoparticles prepared in presence of the RTIL have lower tendency for aggregation relative to the prepared sample in water. Diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) of the product prepared in the neat RTIL, shows 1.52 eV blue shift relative to bulk CdS, which can be attributed to quantum confinement effect of the CdS nanoparticles. A possible formation mechanism for CdS nanoparticles in presence of the RTIL is presented. Photocatalytic activity of the CdS nanoparticles towards photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) using UV and visible lights was performed. The results demonstrate that observed first-order rate constant for photodegradation of MB on CdS nanoparticles prepared in the neat RTIL are about 20 and 6 times greater than the prepared sample in water using visible and UV lights, respectively.

Keywords: Cadmium sulfide, Room-temperature ionic liquid, Nanoparticle, Photocatalysis, Semiconductor