In Situ Synthesis and 3D Visualization of Hierarchically Assembled ZnS Nanostructures

초록

Nanomaterials have garnered significant interest in enhancing the performance of energy harvesting systems, biomedical devices, and high-strength composites. Despite advances in fabricating elaborate and heterogeneous nanostructures, and characterizing them using TEM tomography, challenges still remain in achieving straightforward 3D visualization, due to complex fabrication processes, agglomeration issues, and non-uniform outputs. Here, we propose an in situ synthesis approach for fabricating complex, hierarchically assembled ZnS nanostructures which comprise nanowire cores and nanoparticles catalyzed by Ag2S. We have demonstrated that vaporized Zn and S solidify into nanostructures of various shapes under controlled temperatures. This study marks the first successful synthesis of a heterogeneous nanostructure, utilizing the phase transformation mechanisms of vapor–liquid–solid for nanowires and vapor–solid for nanoparticles through precise temperature control. The resulting hierarchically assembled ZnS nanostructures were characterized, and their growth mechanisms were elucidated using the advanced TEM techniques. The electron tomography and 3D printing techniques allowed visualization of these centimeter-sized nanostructures which has rarely been explored for randomly fabricated nanomaterials. This collaborative work is expected to open avenues for fabricating advanced and sophisticated nanostructures with potential applications in diverse fields. © TheMinerals, Metals & Materials Society 2025.

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