Synthesis of Co9S8 and CoS nanocrystallites using Co(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes as single-source precursors

Cubic Co9S8 and hexagonal CoS nanocrystallites were prepared by pyrolysis and solvothermal decomposition methods using Co(LH)(2)Cl-2 and CoL2 (where LH= thiosemicarbazones of furfuraldehyde, cinnamaldehyde and 4-fluoro-acetophenone) as single-source precursors. These nanocrystallites were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction, UV-Vis, PL and Raman spectroscopic techniques. From TEM images, the average grain size of as-prepared cobalt sulphide nanocrystallites was found to be 7-10 nm. Depending on experimental conditions, various morphologies such as spherical, pyramidal, hollow spheres, etc. are observed in the TEM images.