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. 2020 Aug 5;10(8):1532.
doi: 10.3390/nano10081532.

Graphene Oxide Concentration Effect on the Optoelectronic Properties of ZnO/GO Nanocomposites

Issam Boukhoubza  1   2 , Mohammed Khenfouch  2 , Mohamed Achehboune  1   2 , Liviu Leontie  3 , Aurelian Catalin Galca  4 , Monica Enculescu  4 , Aurelian Carlescu  5 , Mohammed Guerboub  1 , Bakang Moses Mothudi  6 , Anouar Jorio  1 , Izeddine Zorkani  1
Affiliations

Graphene Oxide Concentration Effect on the Optoelectronic Properties of ZnO/GO Nanocomposites

Issam Boukhoubza et al. Nanomaterials (Basel). .

Abstract

In this work, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) concentrations (1.5 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, and 5 wt.%) on the structural, morphological, optical, and luminescence properties of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs)/GO nanocomposites, synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process, were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of NRs revealed the hexagonal wurtzite structure for all composites with an average coherence length of about 40-60 nm. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study confirmed the presence of transparent and wrinkled, dense GO nanosheets among flower-like ZnO nanorods, depending on the GO amounts used in preparation. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements revealed the impact of GO concentration on the optical and luminescence properties of ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites. The energy band gap of the ZnO nanorods was independent of GO concentration. Photoluminescence spectra of nanocomposites showed a significant decrease in the intensities in the visible light range and red shifted suggesting a charge transfer process. The nanocomposites' chromaticity coordinates for CIE 1931 color space were estimated to be (0.33, 0.34), close to pure white ones. The obtained results highlight the possibility of using these nanocomposites to achieve good performance and suitability for optoelectronic applications.

Keywords: CIE diagram; ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites; hydrothermal method; optoelectronic properties.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preparation process of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites.
Figure 2
Figure 2
X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites with different concentrations of GO.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images of (a) ZnO NRs, (b) ZnO NRs/GO1, (c) ZnO NRs/GO2, and (d) ZnO NRs/GO3 nanocomposites.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Diameter size distribution (a,c,e,g) and length size distribution (b,d,f,h) of ZnO NRs, ZnO NRs/GO1, ZnO NRs/GO2, and ZnO NRs/GO3 nanocomposites.
Figure 5
Figure 5
The atomic composition of the ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites with the different GO concentrations.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of GO, ZnO NRs, and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites with different GO concentrations.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Raman spectra of (a) GO, (b) ZnO NRs, (c) ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites with different GO concentrations, (d) Raman spectra of the same samples shown in the higher region (1200–1800 cm−1), and (e) the variation of (ID/IG) intensity ratio with GO concentrations.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Absorbance spectra of ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Tauc plots to determine the energy band gaps on the GO amount in ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites (inset shows room temperature PL spectra in the ultraviolet (UV) region of ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites).
Figure 11
Figure 11
Gaussian line-shape fitting of the PL spectra of (a) ZnO NRs, (b) ZnO NR/GO1, (c) ZnO NR/GO2, and (d) ZnO NR/GO3 nanocomposites (solid and dashed lines represent the experimental and the fitted data, respectively).
Figure 12
Figure 12
(a) The variation of Ivis/IUV peak intensity ratio with GO concentration; (b) CIE chromaticity diagram for ZnO NRs and ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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