Nickel cobalt sulfide nanoparticles grown on AlMCM-41 molecular sieve

Nickel cobalt sulfide nanoparticles were grown on AlMCM-41 matrix by using ion exchange method. X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used for sample characterization. The results confirm the growth of NiS or CoS nanoparticle mainly on the AlMCM-41 surface, whereas they could grow inside and outside the mesopore AlMCM-41 matrix. Absorption peaks at higher energy than the fundamental absorption edge of bulk NiS and CoS indicate quantum confinement effects in nanoparticles as a consequence of their small size. The absorption spectra show that the optical band gap varies in the range 3.53–4.78 eV, depending on the semiconductor material and their relative concentration.