White light emitting Mesoporous Carbon-Silica Nanocomposite

Visible photoluminescence (PL) from oxidized mesoporous carbon-silica nanocomposite (MPCS) prepared by the triconstituent co-assembly method is reported. White PL from MPCS was observed by naked eye at room temperature. Oxidation effects on carbon-silica bonding states and transmittance were investigated. PL intensity decreased with decreasing of carbon dangling bond density by oxidation at above 500 deg. C. The transmittance of MPCS at excitation and emission wavelengths increased with increasing of oxidation temperature. It is concluded that PL intensity is determined by the balance between PL related carbon density and transmittance. We proposed an additional wet oxidation that can increase PL intensity by the increase of transmittance under suppressing carbon desorption.