Aerogels containing strongly photoluminescing zinc oxide nanocrystals

• Published in: Journal of non-crystalline solids Vol. 238; no. 1; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Lorenz, C., Emmerling, A., Fricke, J., Schmidt, T., Hilgendorff, M., Spanhel, L., Müller, G.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties of specific thin films; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physics; Small particles; A120; N100; L220; Aerogel; Sol gel process; Silicon oxides; Photoluminescence; Fluorescence; Zinc oxide; Experimental study; Nanocrystal; Inorganic compound; Crystalline structure
• ISSN: 0022-3093; 1873-4812
• DOI: 10.1016/S0022-3093(98)00679-6

Sol–gel processing was used to prepare ZnO-doped silica-aerogels by hydrolysis and condensation of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in the presence of 6 nm sized nanocrystalline ZnO particles. Supercritical drying yielded strongly green–yellow fluorescing aerogels. Fluorescence excitation and emission spectra of the resulting ZnO particles in a silica matrix were preserved after the supercritical drying, in contrast to air sintering conditions under which the visible ZnO fluorescence is completely suppressed. Anomalous small angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS) was employed to evaluate the internal structure of these nanocrystalline precursors as well as the resulting nearly transparent aerogel samples.