Abstract
Two different batches of Gallium(III) sulphide nanocrystals, (alpha-Ga2S3) 1 and (alpha-Ga2S3) 2 were synthesized at room temperature by the reaction of Gallium(III) chloride with sodium thiosulphate in water for 10 and 20 min respectively. The resultant nanoparticles were characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. TEM micrographs showed well-defined, close to hexagonal particles, and the lattice fringes in the HRTEM images confirmed their nanocrystalline nature. The sizes of (alpha-Ga2S3) 1 and (a-Ga2S3) 2 were 12 and 35 nm respectively with similar morphologies. Optical band gap energies (3.43 eV/3.41 eV) and photoluminescence peaks 635/641 nm (red shift) and 414/420 nm (blue shift) of the synthesized (alpha-Ga2S3) nanocrystals suggest that they may be promising photocatalysts. Raman spectra for the (alpha-Ga2S3), shows very sharp bands at 119, 135 and 148 cm (-1) due to Ga-S-2 scissoring.