Polymer–inorganic nanocomposites prepared by hydrothermal method: Preparation and characterization of PVA–transition‐metal sulfides

Nanocomposites of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with iron, cobalt, or nickel sulfides were successfully prepared using a hydrothermal process by an in situ reaction with CS2 at 140°C for 8 h. XRD results showed that pure phases of FeS2, CoS2, and NiS were obtained in the as‐prepared nanocomposites. They also showed that the crystallinity of PVA was largely decreased after incorporation of the nano‐sized sulfides. This was also confirmed by IR spectroscopy. SEM photographs showed that the sulfide particles were homogeneously dispersed in the PVA matrix. UV‐visible spectroscopy was also used to characterize the as‐prepared nanocomposites.