Luminescent ZnO-Carbon Hybrid Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Characterization, Emission Mechanism, and Applications
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Authors
Sreenan, Benjamin
Issue Date
2025
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Carbon , Luminescence , Materials , Water Detection , ZnO
Alternative Title
Abstract
In this work, we review the fascinating chemistry and luminescent physics of carbon nanomaterials, metal oxides, and carbon–metal oxide nanohybrids. While a wide
range of materials and studies were discussed, particular focus was placed on ZnO
carbon systems due to their intriguing bandgap characteristics, the novel defect
engineering strategies recently applied to ZnO nanomaterials, and the emerging
hybridization of ZnO with carbon-based structures. Despite the growing body of
research, there remains a lack of comprehensive studies exploring how embedding ZnO
into a carbon nanomatrix affects its visible light luminescent properties and potential
applications.
To investigate this, hybrid ZnO–carbon nanomaterials (ZnO-C-NMs) were
synthesized using a simple one-pot solvothermal method, resulting in 2–5 nm ZnO
nanoparticles embedded within a carbon nanomatrix. Under UV excitation (355 nm),
these materials exhibited weak blue luminescence, while under visible light excitation
(405 nm), they showed intense green emission—behavior notably distinct from carbon
nanomaterials synthesized under identical conditions but without Zn precursors. Optical
characterization and comparison suggest that the unique luminescent properties of ZnO
C-NMs arise from the interaction between the electronic structures of ZnO nanoparticles
and the carbon matrix.
Furthermore, ZnO-C-NMs demonstrated remarkable luminescence stability in
aqueous environments, even under harsh conditions such as high salinity, elevated levels
of reactive oxygen species, and extreme pH values. This robustness may be attributed to
the formation of a hydration layer on the particle surface via electrostatic adsorption of
water molecules. Leveraging these physicochemical advantages, ZnO-C-NMs were
successfully applied as highly sensitive probes for detecting trace amounts of water in
commonly used low-polarity organic solvents.