The effect of citric acid on morphology and photoluminescence properties of white light emitting ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites

The white light emitting ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites were synthesized by sol-gel combustion method using zinc nitrate, citric acid and tetraethoxysilane. To analyze the effect of fuel content on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites, the citric acid content was varied a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Photonics and nanostructures 2016-07, Vol.20, p.31-40
Main Authors: Sivakami, R, Thiyagarajan, P
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Citric acid
Emission
Excitation
Moles
Morphology
Nanocomposites
White light
Zinc
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Summary:The white light emitting ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites were synthesized by sol-gel combustion method using zinc nitrate, citric acid and tetraethoxysilane. To analyze the effect of fuel content on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites, the citric acid content was varied as 1, 5, and 10 moles with respect to one mole of zinc. The SEM images of the nanocomposites revealed the spherical, flower and platelet like morphology with variation in citric acid content and annealing temperatures. The ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites prepared with various Zn:CA ratio excited at UV (280 nm), near UV (365 nm), violet (405 nm) and blue (465 nm) wavelength showed blue and greenish-yellow emission. Among all ratios, the ZnO-SiO sub(2) nanocomposites with Zn:CA - 1:1 ratio showed the intense broad band emission compared to Zn:CA - 1:5 and 1:10 values. This particular composition of sample excited under violet (405 nm) LED source shows white light, as confirmed by the CIE chromaticity coordinates (x = 0.342, y = 0.318).
ISSN:1569-4410
DOI:10.1016/j.photonics.2016.03.003