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Controllable synthesis, growth mechanism, structure and optical properties of ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites

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Abstract

ZnO quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully encapsulated in the amorphous SiO2 matrix by a modified Stöber method. The effects of the sequence of adding the ZnO QDs and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and the hydrolysis time of TEOS on the structure, ordered and optical properties of ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites were investigated in detail. When the TEOS was added to the solution of ZnO QDs, the QDs were disorderly dispersed within the amorphous SiO2 matrix. On the other hand, as adding the ZnO QDs to the already hydrolyzed TEOS solution, the self-assembly of ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites was observed through a general route of zero-dimensional (0D) → 1D → 3D with the hydrolysis time of TEOS increased. The possible formation mechanisms were schematically illustrated. PL results showed that the PL peak intensity and the position of UV emission were sensitive to the hydrolysis time of TEOS, the luminescence intensity of the UV emission for the ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites reached the highest value when t = 6 h. These ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites would show a wider application for its particular structure, stability and enhanced emission, such as the conjugation of the nanocrystals to biological entities after functionalization.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by National Programs for High Technology Research and Development of China (863) (Item No. 2013AA032202), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61178074, 61378085, 51479220 and 61475063), the National Youth Program Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11204104 and 61308095), Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University (No. NCET-13-0824), Program for the Development of Science and Technology of Jilin province (Item Nos. 20150101180JC and 20150204085GX).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Physics and Chemistry of the Ministry of Education, Jilin Normal University, Siping, 136000, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoyan Liu, Jinghai Yang, Lili Yang, Jian Cao, Xiangwei Meng, Maobin Wei & Yanqing Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Automobile Materials of Ministry of Education & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanling Campus, Jilin University, No. 5988 Renmin Street, Changchun, 130025, People’s Republic of China

    Xiaoyan Liu & Yaohui Liu

  3. Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, 130033, People’s Republic of China

    Donglai Han & Shuo Yang

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  1. Xiaoyan Liu
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Correspondence to Yaohui Liu or Jinghai Yang.

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Liu, X., Liu, Y., Yang, J. et al. Controllable synthesis, growth mechanism, structure and optical properties of ZnO–SiO2 nanocomposites. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 27, 14–22 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-3711-y

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