LAUSR

We report the preparation of copper sulphide nanoparticles from copper(II) piperidine dithiocarbamate. Powder XRD patterns confirmed covellite copper sulphide (CuS) for nanoparticles obtained at 120 °C while nanoparticles prepared at 180 and 220 °C exist in digenite copper sulphide (Cu 9 S 5 ) crystalline phases. TEM micrographs showed CuS obtained at 120 °C have mixture of hexagonal, triangular, and spherical shapes with no agglomeration with crystallite sizes in the range 4.9–51.4 nm. Copper sulphide obtained at 180 °C have particle sizes in the range 31.3–44.0 nm while agglomerated particles were obtained at 220 °C with particle sizes of 74.4–125.4 nm. The results confirmed that the particle sizes of the as-prepared copper sulphide nanoparticles are temperature dependent. Optical studies of the copper sulphide nanoparticles indicates the absorption band edges are blue shifted due to decreased crystallite sizes of the nanoparticles compared to bulk copper sulphide.