(The) synthesis of copper sulfide nanomaterial arrays using supramolecules

Abstract

Many efforts in the design of the method for synthesizing ordered inorganic crystals with specific sizes, shapes, and hierarchies has been made because of the potential to design new materials and devices in various fields. Copper sulfide is an interesting material to form various stoichiometries and an indirect semiconductor. Here we present the novel method to synthesize copper(II) sulfide nanoparticle arrays by the interaction of self- assembly of synthetic thermotropic molecules; 3,5-Bis[3’,5’-bis-(n-5,5,6,6,7,7,8,8,9,9,10,10,11,11, 12,12-Heptadeca-fluorododecan-1-yloxy)benzyloxy] benzoic acid (F8B), 3,4,5-Tris(1H,1H,2H,2H,3H,3H,4H,4H-perfluorodo-decan-1-yloxy)benzoic Acid (4F8BA), 4\`-dodecyloxy-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (C12BPC), and the other CnBPC series (n=6,8,9,10,16). Copper composites are made by the reaction of copper nitrate and supramolecules. After copper composites go through the annealing process certain structures are formed by the interaction of self-assembly of thermotropic molecules. Specific structures are synthesized through annealing process of copper composite and confirmed by Small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXS). Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS) showed that the product was hexagonal phase CuS with lattice constants of a = 3.795 $\AA$ and c = 16.42 $\AA$. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigated the morphology of the product. The composition was identified by EDS. The as-prepared nanoparticles have regular shape and size distribution. It is found to be a mild, convenient and efficient method for the preparation of CuS.