Growth of Nanocrystalline FeS and FeS2 Using Iron (II) Cinnamaldehyde Thiosemicarbazone Complexes as Single-Source Precursors

Thiosemicarbazone complexes of iron (II), Fe(cinnamtscz)(2) and Fe(cinnamtsczH)(2)Cl-2 (where, cinnamtsczH = cinnamaldehyde thiosemicarbazone) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductivity measurements, magnetic susceptibility studies and IR spectroscopy. The thermal decomposition of these complexes resulted in FeS2 and FeS nanocrystallites respectively. The solvothermal decomposition of later resulted in FeS nanocrystallites. The formation of nanocrystals was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive Analysis by X-rays and UV-Visible spectra. The magnetic character was found out by the hysteresis loop. From TEM average grain size of as prepared FeS2 nanoparticles is found to be 52 nm and that of FeS is 21 nm. Whereas average grain size of FeS nanocrystallites prepared by solvothermal decomposition is found to be 18 nm.