CuS nanosheet grown on ZnS particle in aqueous solution at atmospheric pressure

We present the synthesis of CuS nanosheet grown on ZnS particle by the cation exchange reaction in aqueous solution at atmospheric pressure using waste zinc based adsorbent (mainly composed of ZnS) as raw material. We could facilely prepare CuS with CuS nanosheet or nanolayer morphology by tuning the reaction conditions. When we choose the CuCl2 as the copper salt, we propose a phenomenological pathway for the formation of the CuS nanolayer via the orientated grown of ZnS nanoparticles, monolithic CuS nucleation, crystallization, oriented attachment, self assemble and Ostwald ripening process in the cation exchange reaction. The prepared CuS is characterized for the structural and morphological properties by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting CuS particles can be applied as photocatalyst under visible light, as well as electrode materials for batteries.