Thermostability of photoluminescence of CdS nanoparticles loaded on silica spheres

CdS nanoparticles were loaded on the 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) modified surface of silica spheres in an in situ growth process. High-resolution electron microscope (HRTEM) images and EDAX analysis show that the CdS nanoparticles are independently dispersed on the surface of silica spheres. Fluorescence spectra of the samples were used to investigate the photoluminescence thermostability of CdS nanoparticles. Compared with the CdS nanoparticles powder, the CdS nanoparticles loaded on the silica spheres exhibit relatively higher photoluminescence thermostability. This high thermostability is probably due to the immobilization of the CdS nanoparticles on the silica spheres reducing the aggregation of nanoparticles initiated by increasing temperature. However, the chemical stability of the loaded CdS nanoparticles is less than that of the CdS nanoparticles powder.