Room temperature fabrication of hollow ZnS and ZnO architectures by a sacrificial template route

Hollow ZnS and ZnO architectures are fabricated by employing Zn-5(CO3)(2)(OH)(6) microspheres as the sacrificial template. Zn-5(CO3)(2)(OH)(6) microspheres can be effectively converted into the core/shell structured ZnO/ZnS composites (in the Na2S solution) and hollow ZnO architectures (in the KOH solution), by a spontaneous ion replacement reaction at room temperature. Removing the core by the KOH treatment of core/shell structured ZnO/ZnS, hollow ZnS spheres with different shell thicknesses can be effectively achieved. The obtained hollow ZnO architectures exhibit unique geometrical shapes, and their walls are composed of nanocrystals, which are connected to each other to form their hemispherical or circular shape. A possible formation process from Zn-5(CO3)(2)(OH)(6) microspheres to core/shell structured ZnO/ZnS composites is proposed by arresting a series of intermediate morphologies.