Synthesis and Room-Temperature Ultraviolet Photoluminescence Properties of Zirconia Nanowires

• Published in: Advanced functional materials 2004-03, Vol.14 (3), p.243-246
• Main Authors: Cao, H. Q., Qiu, X. Q., Luo, B., Liang, Y., Zhang, Y. H., Tan, R. Q., Zhao, M. J., Zhu, Q. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Nanowires; Photoluminescence; Template-directed synthesis; Zirconia
• ISSN: 1616-301X; 1616-3028
• DOI: 10.1002/adfm.200305033

This paper reports the synthesis of tetragonal zirconia nanowires using template method. An as‐prepared sample was characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the as‐prepared materials were tetragonal zirconia nanowires with average diameters of ca. 80 nm and length of over 10 μm. The Raman spectrum showed peaks at 120, 461, and 629 cm–1, which are attributed to the Eg, Eg, and B1g phonon modes of the tetragonal zirconia structure, respectively. The UV‐vis absorption spectrum showed an absorption peak at 232.5 nm (5.33 eV in photon energy). Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of zirconia nanowires showed a strong emission peak at ca. 388 nm at room temperature, which is attributed to the ionized oxygen vacancy in the zirconia nanowires system. Zirconia nanowires (see Figure) have been synthesized using a sol–gel template method in three steps: synthesis of the hydrated zirconyl oxalate (ZrOC2O4) sol, dipping the alumina template in the sol, and heat treatment of the resulting ZrOC2O4 composite. The as‐prepared materials are tetragonal zirconia single‐crystalline nanowires with an average diameter of ∼ 80 nm and a length of over 10 μm.