3-D ordered mesoporous Cd_xZn_1-xS ternary compound semiconductors with controlled band gap energy

Ordered mesoporous Cd_xZn_1-xS ternary compound semiconductors were prepared with a simple nano-casting method using 3-D cubic Ia3d meso-structured silica, KIT-6, as a hard-template with the easily available precursors of 3CdSO₄ ·8H₂O and ZnSO₄ ·7H₂O. Thermal reduction of impregnated precursors resulted in the crystalline networks within the mesopore of the silica template, then the ordered mesoporous Cd_xZn_1-xS materials were obtained by etching the silica template with NaOH aqueous solution. The synthesized Cd_xZn_1-xS materials exhibit high surface area, uniform pore size, single gyroidal tetragonal I4₁/a meso-structure, crystalline framework, and finely tuned band gap energies by controlled chemical composition.