Synthesis of zinc oxide and zinc oxide/zinc sulfide nano composite via solution combustion route

In the present study, solution combustion synthesis of ZnO and ZnO/ZnS composite nanoparticles was synthesized using zinc nitrate and thioacetamide as starting materials, and Glycine as fuel. The influence of different parameters, such as oxidizer to fuel (O:F) ratio and calcination process on the structure, microstructure, photoluminescent and optical properties was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that different phases of wurtzite structure of zinc oxide and zinc sulfide have been obtained using different O:F ratios of 1:1 and 2:3, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs revealed that, depending on the O:F ratio, agglomerated nano particles were synthesized and formed porous microsrtructures. Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) analysis of samples synthesized using Glycine fuel showed carbon bonds of carbonaceous matters in addition to Zn-O and Zn-S bonds due to incomplete combustion. Photoluminescence emission spectra showed that the highest intensity was obtained from the samples synthesized with using O:F ratio of 1:1, which may be due to considerable lattice defects. (paper)