Issue 22, 2014

Enhanced luminescence and charge separation in polythiophene-grafted, gold nanoparticle-decorated, 1-D ZnO nanorods

Abstract

In this work, we demonstrate a facile method for fabricating hybrid organic/inorganic structures of vertically oriented 1-dimensional (1-D) ZnO nanorods (NR) coupled with regio-regular poly(3-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxymethyl) thiophene-2,5-diyl (PMEEMT). The NRs were synthesized by two-step solution processes and exhibited a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a lattice spacing of 0.248 nm. Cross-section analysis of field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis confirmed the NRs were vertically oriented and densely packed with diameter of about 250 nm. The hybrid structures were formed by encapsulating the ZnO NRs with polythiophenes, thereby creating a direct heterojunction interface. These interfaces allowed easy electron transport along the NR avoiding loss of mobility due to grain boundary scattering; further, the large aspect ratio and surface area of NR increased the effective interface between polythiophene and the nanorods contributing to efficient charge separation. In addition, decoration of the ZnO hybrid structures by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) induced enhanced luminescence properties. These functionalized organic/inorganic hybrid structures can pave the way for applications in photovoltaics and sensing.

Graphical abstract: Enhanced luminescence and charge separation in polythiophene-grafted, gold nanoparticle-decorated, 1-D ZnO nanorods

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
20 Oct 2013
Accepted
03 Feb 2014
First published
14 Feb 2014

RSC Adv., 2014,4, 11288-11294

Enhanced luminescence and charge separation in polythiophene-grafted, gold nanoparticle-decorated, 1-D ZnO nanorods

S. Jayaraman, P. S. Kumar, D. Mangalaraj, D. Rajarathnam, S. Ramakrishna and M. P. Srinivasan, RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 11288 DOI: 10.1039/C3RA45953E

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements