Sonochemisry-assisted synthesis of mesoporous ZnS particles in non-solvent medium

So far, nanoparticles of porous zinc sulfide have been synthesized in solvent mediums. Cyclohexane was used as the first insoluble medium for the reaction between zinc precursors, zinc chloride (ZnCl2) and zinc nitrate (Zn (NO3), 2.6H2O), and sulfur precursors, thioacetamide (C2H5NS), thiourea (C2H5NS) and Na2S.5H2O. Dodecyl amine has been used as the structural guiding agent. Various analyzes such as X-ray diffraction, nitrogen uptake and desorption, as well as transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy have been used to analyze the morphological features and characteristics of the obtained products. The results of X-ray diffraction prove the successful synthesis process in the non-solvent cyclohexane medium. The results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms show that the synthesized materials using different precursors have different pore sizes and specific surface area. The highest specific surface area of about 190 m2g-1 was obtained by the proposed synthesis procedure. The synthesis and porosity formation mechanism of the mesoporous ZnS particles has also been discussed and it was demostrated that the insoluble by-product has the main role in the porosity induction in the structure.