Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of self-assembled Eu-doped ZnO hollow microspheres

• Published in: Physica status solidi. A, Applications and materials science Applications and materials science, 2011-12, Vol.208 (12), p.2833-2838
• Main Authors: Xu, Jin, Wang, Nating, Wang, Weiqiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Exact sciences and technology; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanocrystals and nanoparticles; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of low-dimensional, mesoscopic, and nanoscale materials and structures; photoluminescence; Physics; Self-assembly; solvothermal; transmission electron microscopy; ZnO:Eu3
• ISSN: 1862-6300; 1862-6319
• DOI: 10.1002/pssa.201127290

ZnO hollow microspheres with a shell wall consisting of crystalline ZnO nanosheets were synthesized by using Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 microspheres as spherical templates. Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 microspheres were first fabricated by a solvothermal procedure in an ethylene glycol (EG)–water solution. ZnO microspheres with a hexagonal structure were identified by means of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and selected‐area electron diffraction (SAED). On the basis of the results, a possible self‐assembly growth mechanism was proposed. It reveals that the EG played an important role in determining the hollow morphologies of Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6 structures. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) investigation of ZnO:Eu3+ suggested that a direct energy transfer occurred, which was ascribed to the energy transfer from ZnO host to Eu3+ ions.