TY - JOUR
T1 - Highly blue emission of ZnO nanoparticles embedded in a SiO2 matrix
AU - Miranda, Joan Reyes
AU - Romo, Felipe de Jesús Carrillo
AU - Murillo, Antonieta García
AU - Ramírez, Ángel de Jesús Morales
AU - Hernández, A. Garrido
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - Abstract: The main drawbacks of fluorescent ZnO nanoparticles in practical optoelectronic applications are fast particle growth and agglomeration in water, causing a periodic decrease of light emission intensity. In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were successfully embedded within a silica matrix to prevent their agglomeration. The ZnO NPs were synthesized by the polyol method, using ethylene glycol and glycerol in sizes ranging from 5–6 nm. The as-obtained ZnO particles were dispersed in an amorphous silica matrix under three different ZnO:SiO2 molar ratios: 20:80, 15:85 and 10:90. With the aim of enhancing the luminescent properties of the ZnO@SiO2 composites, various annealing treatments in the range of 150–210 °C were carried out. The chemical analyses of the bare ZnO and the composites were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which confirmed the presence of functional groups attached to the ZnO surface. By means of thermogravimetric analysis, it was determined that the evaporation of solvents shifted to lower temperatures (180 °C) when silica was added to the ZnO colloidal solution. By means of photoluminescence, a bright blue emission, centered at 440 nm, was observed in all of the samples, even at high temperatures (i.e., 210 °C); only a red shift of 20 nm was observed. Interestingly, the emission intensity of the sample 20:80, when annealed at 170 °C for 4 h, was enhanced 2.6 times, compared to the bare ZnO. Graphical Abstract: [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Abstract: The main drawbacks of fluorescent ZnO nanoparticles in practical optoelectronic applications are fast particle growth and agglomeration in water, causing a periodic decrease of light emission intensity. In this work, ZnO nanoparticles were successfully embedded within a silica matrix to prevent their agglomeration. The ZnO NPs were synthesized by the polyol method, using ethylene glycol and glycerol in sizes ranging from 5–6 nm. The as-obtained ZnO particles were dispersed in an amorphous silica matrix under three different ZnO:SiO2 molar ratios: 20:80, 15:85 and 10:90. With the aim of enhancing the luminescent properties of the ZnO@SiO2 composites, various annealing treatments in the range of 150–210 °C were carried out. The chemical analyses of the bare ZnO and the composites were carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which confirmed the presence of functional groups attached to the ZnO surface. By means of thermogravimetric analysis, it was determined that the evaporation of solvents shifted to lower temperatures (180 °C) when silica was added to the ZnO colloidal solution. By means of photoluminescence, a bright blue emission, centered at 440 nm, was observed in all of the samples, even at high temperatures (i.e., 210 °C); only a red shift of 20 nm was observed. Interestingly, the emission intensity of the sample 20:80, when annealed at 170 °C for 4 h, was enhanced 2.6 times, compared to the bare ZnO. Graphical Abstract: [InlineMediaObject not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Blue emission
KW - Composite
KW - Nanoparticles
KW - Silica
KW - Zinc oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85016986222&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10971-017-4356-5
DO - 10.1007/s10971-017-4356-5
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85016986222
SN - 0928-0707
VL - 82
SP - 728
EP - 738
JO - Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
JF - Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology
IS - 3
ER -