Hydrothermal synthesis of star-like and dendritic PbS nanoparticles from new precursors

Lead sulfide (PbS) nanostructures with different morphologies and particle sizes were obtained via a simple hydrothermal reaction between lead (II) salicylate (Pb(Hsal)(2)) and thiourea (tu). Reaction products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Morphology of the product, varying from star-like to dendritic, depends on the mole ratio of tu to (Pb(Hsal)(2)), pH, and reaction time. (c) 2012 Chinese Society of Particuology and Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.