Synthesis and characterization of hybrid ternary Cd_1−x Fe _x S nanoparticles

Abstract

This study details the synthesis of high quality Cd1-xFexSnanoparticles using a simple cost-effective chemical technique in the air atmosphere. The structural analysis revealed the presence of a cubic CdS lattice with a hexagonal FeS phase in Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles. XRD results showed that the FeCl3 dosages had a significant influence on the formation of ternary Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles. The morphological analysis indicates that the Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles have a spherical shape with a size of approximately 20 nm, while CdS nanoparticles have a size of approximately 12 nm. The optical characterization revealed that the bandgap of pristine CdS and Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles decreased with an increase in Fe content. The bandgap of Cd0.8Fe0.2S was slightly higher than that of CdS, while the bandgap of Cd0.6Fe0.4S and Cd0.4Fe0.6S nanoparticles were lower than that of CdS. The energy band structures of pristine CdS and Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles were calculated using density functional theory and were compared with experimental results. In summary, this work presents a detailed investigation of the structural and optical properties of Cd1-xFexS nanoparticles synthesized using a cost-effective chemical technique. The results demonstrate the potential application of these nanoparticles in various fields such as optoelectronics, energy harvesting, and catalysis.