Study on the structure and luminescence properties of the coordinated ZnO crystallites

The coordinated ZnO nanoparticles and crystallites have been produced by focused pulsed laser ablation of ZnO target submerged in the ethanol solution of 8-hydroxyquinoline. The structure of the nanoparticles was characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The ZnO crystallites properties were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis coupled to differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and luminescence spectrometry. The results show the surface Zn²⁺ ions of the ZnO nanoparticles are coordinated by the 8-hydroxyquinoline. The crystal class and the space group of the coordinated ZnO crystallites are triclinic and P-1(2), respectively. The lattice parameters are refined to a=1.1904 nm, b=1.2135 nm, c=0.8586 nm, α=108.28^°,β=100.27^° and γ=85.50^°, respectively. The coordinated ZnO crystallites have better thermo stability than bis(8-hydroxyquinoline)zinc and can emit yellow-green light under UV and visible radiations.