Photoluminescence of Zinc Sulfide Nanoparticles Doping with Cupper Ions Prepared in Solution

Zinc sulfide nanoparticles doped with copper ion (ZnS:Cu NPs) were synthesized in dimethylformamide (DMF) using thioglycerol for surface modification and medium. ZnS:Cu NPs were extracted as free-standing powders, which remains stable under the normal atmospheric condition and can be redispersed in various solvents. This powder was characterized by using an X-ray diffraction (XRD) instrument, an UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, a fluorescence spectroscopy, an inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP) and a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Particle diameter of ZnS:Cu NPs was about 2.1nm calculated by the Sherrer equation from XRD patterns. Photoluminescence from doped copper ions in ZnS:Cu NPs were observed after 16h reflux period, because particle defects decreased and amounts of doped copper ion increased during reflux operation.