ZnSe nanoparticles growth by aqueous colloidal solution at room temperature

ZnSe nanoparticles (ZnSe-NPs) were obtained by aqueous colloidal solution at room temperature (25 degrees C) at different pH. A physicochemical study of the aqueous solution was proposed. The chemical reagents of the colloidal solution were zinc chloride, selenium elementary powder, Extran (R) as a surfactant, and sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. The species distribution diagrams (SDDs) and solubility curves (SCs) as pH functions were plotted as a result of the physicochemical analysis. The SDDs and SCs predicted the ZnSe-NPs formation and their growing process, therefore, a series of experiments according to these diagrams were performed at various pH of the colloidal solution through different Extran (R) content. The ZnSe-NPs were obtained without further purification. The ZnSe-NPs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The XRD results revealed that the ZnSe-NPs have mixed cubic and hexagonal crystalline structures, with crystal size at the nanoscale. The Raman spectra exhibited two peaks at 253 cm-1 of the longitudinal optical (LO) phonon mode, and 235 cm-1 of the surface phonon mode corresponding to the ZnSe bulk. The SEM images showed a variety of morphologies with different Zn/Se atomic ratios estimated from the EDS analysis.

Automated summary

ZnSe nanoparticles were synthesized in aqueous colloidal solution at different pH levels and temperature. Physicochemical analysis was conducted to study the formation and growth process of ZnSe-NPs. Characterization of the ZnSe-NPs was performed using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and EDS techniques, revealing mixed cubic and hexagonal structures with nanoscale crystal sizes.