Tunable emission colours of ZnO nanocrystals by forming nanocomposites with a nematic liquid crystal N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-ethoxybenzenamine

Abstract

Nanocomposites of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals and liquid crystal N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4 -ethoxybenzenamine (MB2BA) were prepared by ultrasonic dispersing technology. The MB2BA/ZnO nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. As MB2BA in the nanocomposites is increased from 0 to 80 wt-%, the originally yellow-green photoluminescence of the MB2BA/ZnO nanocomposites can be tuned to blue. Our results demonstrated that the blue colored photoluminescence could be achieved by mixing appropriate amount of MB2BA with ZnO nanocrystals.

Keywords:

• ZnO nanocrystals
• liquid crystal
• blue photoluminescence
• tuneability