Growth-morphology-luminescence correlation in ZnO-containing nanostructures synthesized in different media

Zinc hydroxide particles were prepared by a two-step process employing zinc nitrate hexahydrate, urea, ethylene glycol, water and p-toluene-sulfonic acid monohydrate (p-TSA). We used different concentrations of the reactants as well as different volume ratios of the solvents. ZnO particles were obtained by thermal treatment of the reaction products at two different temperatures: 350 °C and 500 °C. The samples were characterized by scanning field emission electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, BET analysis, thermogravimetry (TG) analysis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. It was found that after the thermal treatment particles become smaller, with the p-TSA concentration strongly affecting the morphology of the particles. Luminescence properties of the samples probed by PL at 8 K and room temperature exhibited a remarkable correlation with specimens′ nanomorphology. Luminescent features at ∼2.0–2.2 eV, ∼2.4–2.5 eV, ∼2.65 eV, ∼2.9 eV, ∼3.0–3.1 eV and ∼3.3 eV were observed in most specimens, although their relative intensity and temperature dependence were specific to an individual group of samples vis-à-vis their growth history and morphology.