A general and rapid approach to crystalline metal sulfide nanoparticle synthesis for photocatalytic H2 generation

Abstract

Herein, we report a facile and rapid dry route rather than a solution process to prepare crystalline CdS nanoparticles via microwave-assisted thermolysis of a Cd-thiourea complex. CdS prepared by 35 min microwave heating offers a H₂ generation rate of 103.2 μmol h⁻¹ that is comparable to the H₂ generation rate of commercially available CdS (96.3 μmol h⁻¹). Importantly, the present synthetic strategy can be generalized to prepare other metal sulfides, including ZnS and MoS₂, and ZnS–CdS solid solutions.