The effect of particle size on the structural transitions in zinc sulfide

Abstract

Studies of pressure induced phase transformations of ZnS nanoparticles using diamond anvil cells and synchrotron radiation were carried out to 20.0 GPa. Nanoparticles initially in the zinc-blende and wurtzite phases both transformed to the NaCl phase under the application of pressure. The zinc-blende particles, which were of 2.8 nm size, and the wurtzite particles, which were of 25.3 nm size, transformed to the NaCl phase at 19.0 and 15.0 GPa, respectively. Nanoparticles of the wurtzite phase never regained their initial wurtzite structure but returned to the zinc-blende phase upon downloading the pressure. The resultant zinc-blende nanoparticles transformed to the NaCl phase upon the reapplication of a pressure of 15.0 GPa. Nanoparticles initially in the zinc-blende phase returned to their original phase.

Nanopowders and nanostructured oxides: phase transitions and surface reactivity

“…They explained this enhancement in transition pressure in terms of the difference in surface energies between the phases involved. Similar increase of the transition pressure has been reported for ZnS (Refs 4,5), ZnO (Ref. 6), ZrO 2 (Ref.…”

Raman study of nano‐crystalline Ge under high pressure

“…Formally, arguments range from stabilization of LD by increased surface energy, geometrical suppression of the transition, increased energy of HD phase, to the fact that Raman frequency characteristic of a transition is not reached. On the other hand, in a number of experimental cases the tr P for nano-particles was found to be lower than that for bulk materials [7,8]. This is generally attributed to the large volume change between LD and HD phases that drives these types of transi- …”

High-pressure phases of group-IV, III–V, and II–VI compounds

“…The wur-ZnS phase has been reported to transform to the zb structure prior to a transition at higher pressures to NaCl (Desgreniers et al, 2000). The effect of the decrease of grain size on the increase of the onset of the transition has been studied by Jiang et al (1999) and Qadri et al (2001). At pressures of about ϳ65 GPa the NaCl phase has been reported to undergo a Cmcm-like distortion with no significant change in volume Desgreniers et al, 2000).…”