Articles
  • Influence of (PEO)128-(PPO)54-(PEO)128 triblock copolymer on ZnO morphological control and its optical properties
  • Sumetha Suwanboona,d,*, Pongsaton Amornpitoksukb,d and Nantakan Muensitc,d
  • a Department of Materials Science and Technology, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand b Department of Chemistry and Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand c Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand d CoE in Nanotechnology for Energy (CENE), NANOTEC network at Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla, 90112, Thailand
Abstract
ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized in the presence of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) ((PEO)128-(PPO)54-(PEO)128) triblock copolymer, through a precipitation and sol-gel method using Zn(CH3COO)2.2H2O as the zinc source with NaOH or Na2CO3 as a precipitating agent, respectively. The change of particle shape was dependent on the use of NaOH or Na2CO3. The crystallite size diminished when the concentration of (PEO)128-(PPO)54-(PEO)128 was increased. The energy gap varied in the range of 3.216-3.225 eV and 3.202-3.222 eV when NaOH and Na2CO3 were used, respectively. The dependence of the energy gap on the defect concentration and strain was explained.

Keywords: ZnO nanoparticles, Surface active polymer, Defect concentration, Strain, Optical properties.

This Article

  • 2012; 13(6): 677-682

    Published on Dec 31, 2012