LAUSR

Abstract Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) nanospheres have been synthesized using amino acid, l -Histidine as a capping agent by hydrothermal method. The as prepared ZnS have been characterised using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Photoluminescence (PL), Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray Photo Electron Spectroscopy (XPS). Effect of reaction parameters on particle size has been investigated. The morphology and size of the ZnS can be tuned based on the reaction parameters. ZnS nanosphere with a particle size of 5 nm is obtained when the reaction parameters are kept at 120 °C for 3 h. The PL of ZnS shows multiple defect emissions arising from interstitials/vacancies. Particle size of ZnS nanoparticles plays an important role in determining the photo catalytic activity. A chronological study on synthesis of ZnS nanosphere and its photo catalytic activity under the sunlight are discussed here, which reveals the photo degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) upto 87% as observed with ZnS nanosphere having a particle size of 5 nm.