Poly(ethylene glycol)-Mediated Synthesis of Hollow ZnS Microspheres

Hollow ZnS microspheres composed of nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by a facile poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) mediated hydrothermal route. The size of the hollow ZnS microspheres could be adjusted easily by controlling the chain length of PEG. The formation of these hollow microspheres is attributed to the oriented aggregation of ZnS nanorods around a polymer−Zn2+ complex spherical framework structure. Different Raman and photoluminescence characters have been observed for the hollow ZnS microspheres with and without PEG. The hollow ZnS microspheres will find potential application in optical and biological devices.