Growth, size and photoactivity of CdS, ZnS or PbS particles in NaX zeolite

ABSTRACTCdS, ZnS or PbS dispersions are prepared in a NaX matrix by ion exchange and gas phase sulfidation. The degree of sulfidation remains incomplete in all cases. This fact can be explained by preferential bonding of the cations to the zeolite framework and to an increase of the solubility constants for quantum-size particles. Zeolite-hosted sulfide particles grow to supra-supercage size under fragmentation of the host framework. The shift of the position of the optical absorption edge correlates with the sulfide particle size obtained from transmission electron micrographs. The rate of photocorrosion of the sulfide clusters strongly depends on the particle size between 1 and 10 nm.