Vibrational and photoluminescence properties of composites based on zinc oxide and single-walled carbon nanotubes

Composites based on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and Raman scattering. The room temperature PL spectrum of ZnO at the excitation wavelength of 335 nm displays a narrow excitonic band, peaking at 368 nm (3.36 eV), and a wide one, disclosing two components with maxima at about 444 nm (2.79 eV) and 560 nm (2.21 eV) which are associated to the local oxygen vacancies and oxygen excess, respectively. Regardless the preparation method of the ZnO/SWNTs compound (electrochemical, mechanicochemical and hydrothermal synthesis), PL spectra reveal an increased quenching tendency with the concentration of nanotubes in the composite mass. As distinct feature in the PL spectra of ZnO/SWNTs composites are two bands, one at 450 nm (2.75 nm) and another one attributed to the formation of a donor–acceptor complex at 680 nm (1.82 eV). The role of the dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the ZnO/SWNTs composite is observed by Raman scattering with the excitation wavelength of 676 nm.