Template free synthesis of PbS nanoparticles by sol-gel facile method under IR radiation at room temperature

Abstract

Lead sulfide (PbS) nanoparticles have been synthesized from the precursor of lead nitrite tetrahydrate [Pb(NO₃)₂.4H₂O] and thiourea [CH₄N₂S] at room temperature by sol-gel method under the infrared (IR) irradiation. The synthesized PbS nanoparticles have been characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, UV-vis spectrophotometer, and FTIR. The dominant peak (200) in XRD pattern, microstructure and the absorption of PbS have been confirmed the formation of nanoparticles. The crystallite size of PbS nanoparticle has been observed to be 13 nm. The lattice constant “𝑎” of as-synthesized nanostructured PbS powder has been estimated to be 5.99 Å closed to the standard one 5.93 Å. The strain has been determined from W-H Plot and estimated to be 1.75×10^-3.