ZnS nanosheets were prepared via egg albumin and microwave-assisted method. The phases, crystalline
lattice structures, morphologies, chemical and optical properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction
(XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), field-emission scanning electron
microscope(FE-SEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy,
ultravioletevisible (UVeVis) spectroscopy and fluorescence(FL) spectrometer and growth
mechanism of ZnS nanosheets was investigated. The results showed that all samples were pure cubic
zinc blende with polycrystalline structure. The width of ZnS nanosheets with a rectangular nanostructure
was in the range of 450e750 nm. The chemical interaction existed between egg albumin molecules and
ZnS nanoparticles via the amide/carboxylate group. The band gap value calculated was 3.72 eV. The band
at around 440 nm was attributed to the sulfur vacancies of the ZnS nanosheets. With increasing volumes
of egg albumin, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of ZnS samples firstly increased and then
decreased, attributed to concentration quenching.