Hydrothermally Synthesized NiS<sub>2</sub> and NiSO<sub>4</sub>(H<sub>2</sub>O)<sub>6</sub> Nanocomposites and its Characterizations
Ayushi Sharma, Shreya, Peeyush Phogat, Ranjana Jha, Sukhvir Singh
Abstract
The present manuscript discusses an in-depth explanation of the synthesis and characterization of nickel sulphide (NiS 2 ) and nickel sulphate [NiSO 4 (H 2 O) 6 ] nanocomposites. The phase analysis was performed through x-ray diffraction (XRD), revealing the presence of NiS 2 and NiSO 4 (H 2 O) 6 nanocomposites, along with the presence of deuterium. The synthesized material exhibited absorbance in the visible region, with an optimized band gap of 1.0 eV. The presence of carbon spheres was confirmed through morphological analysis performed through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), depicting the growth of NiS 2 on the surface of carbon spheres and the presence of nanosheets of NiSO 4 (H 2 O) 6 . These techniques provide a detailed explanation of the crystallite size for the nanocomposites, their structural properties and optical properties. The material showed a narrow band gap making it highly suitable for solar cell applications.