Very slow formation of copper sulfide and cobalt sulfide nanoparticles in montmorillonite

Intercalation of semiconductor nanoparticles, copper sulfide or cobalt sulfide, into montmorillonite was carried out by solid–solid reactions of Cu(II)- or Co(II)-montmorillonite with sodium sulfide at room temperature. The intercalation compounds were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Raman, UV–visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photoluminescent copper sulfide and cobalt sulfide nanoparticles in the interlayer spaces formed after the sample storage at room temperature for several months.