Effect of Synthesis Conditions on the Composition of Palladium Sulfides

The formation process of Pd-S-containing nanoparticles from Pd(acac)2 and orthorhombic sulfur in hydrogen under mild conditions at different Pd:S ratios was studied using a combination of UV spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and X-ray powder diffraction methods, nanoparticles' average size, phase and elemental composition, morphology and microstructure were determined. The transition of solid solutions of sulfur in palladium or in palladium sulfide into palladium sulfides enriched in sulfur after high-temperature treatment of Pd-S-containing samples was established. The possibility of obtaining phase-pure palladium sulfides Pd4S, PdS without loss of sulfur in the sulfur-containing precursor is shown.