PVA assisted growth of hydrophobic honeycomb network of CdS thin films

Abstract

A simple, facile and inexpensive method of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) assisted chemical bath deposition (CBD) is adopted for the growth of hydrophobic honeycomb network of cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films. Further their physical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, filed emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), contact angle measurement and optical studies. The XRD pattern shows that CdS films are oriented along (3 3 0) plane. The presence of characteristic bonds of CdS is observed from Raman shift experiment. The FESEM images reveal porous and interconnected honeycomb-like morphology. Air trapping in the pores of honeycomb network prevents water from adhering to the film results into hydrophobicity having contact angle of 141 degrees. The CdS film showed a direct band gap with energy 2.5 eV.