Synthesis and photoluminescence study of poly(ethylene glycol)-capped ZnS:Mn2+ nanoparticles

Manganese-doped zinc sulphide nanoparticles capped with poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) had been synthesised in aqueous solution by using PEG as surface modifier. The nanoparticles were prepared by chemical precipitation method at room temperature, which were characterised by the high-resolution analytical transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Photoluminescene studies for all the investigated samples displayed characteristic band edge peak at about 430-nm. The broad peak at about 590-nm was ascribed to Mn incorporation. In addition, XRD and the high-resolution analytical transmission electron microscope studies showed the formation of cubic PEG-ZnS:Mn²⁺ nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 3 nm.