Key Roles of Solution pH and Ligands in the Synthesis of Aqueous ZnTe Nanoparticles

In this work, we reported original synthesis of ZnTe nanoparticles in aqueous solution. The solution pH is believed to be a major factor governing the synthesis of thioglycolic acid (TGA)-capped ZnTe nanoparticles. In the pH range of 5.9−7.1 and the pH range over 10.0, TGA-capped ZnTe nanoparticles can be successfully prepared. In the pH range of 7.1−10.0, TGA-capped ZnTe nanoparticles rapidly precipitate from the solution, which is caused by the formation of Zn(OH) 2 precipitates and the strong adsorption incapacity of Zn(OH) 2 with TGA-capped ZnTe nanoparticles. When 1-thiolglycerol (TG) is selected as the ligand, ZnTe nanoparticles show good stability in the pH range of 7.1−10.0 due to the weak adsorption capacity of Zn(OH) 2 with TG-capped ZnTe nanoparticles. As a result, ZnTe nanoparticles can be prepared in a wide pH range using TGA and TG as the ligands.