Synthesis of Nickel Sulfide Dendrites from Nickel Foil Using Thermal Annealing

Similarly to other transition metal sulfides, nickel sulfide nanocrystals can be potentially used for functional device applications. However, controlling morphology and stoichiometry to target specific applications is a synthesis challenge. In this work we developed a rapid, one-step, chemical vapor deposition synthesis of nickel sulfide dendritic nanostructures with fractal geometry. Microtome-EDS compositional analysis of the mature crystal indicates a trend of decreasing sulfur and increasing nickel concentration towards the tip of the mature crystals. Following thorough investigation of these nanocrystals at different stages of their nucleation and growth by means of XRD, HR-SEM, HR-TEM, and Raman spectroscopy, we suggest possible kinetic mechanisms for the crystal formation and development. This work contributes to the understanding of growth mechanisms of dendritic structures with complex morphology.