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Article history: Ag nanoparticles (NPs) show a excellent surface plasmon resonance (SPR), which is expected to enable
Received 3 December 2016 fluorescence enhancement. In this study, a facile approach is proposed for fabrication of Ag NPs/long-
Received in revised form wavelength carbon dots (Ag-LCDs) hybrids, wherein Ag NPs work as a fluorescent reinforcer to
6 January 2017
enhance photoluminescence (PL) intensity of LCDs. The largest enhancement was acquired through
Accepted 7 January 2017
Available online 8 January 2017
adjusting the volume ration between Ag NPs and LCDs. In this process, PL decay is considered as an
important and simple characterization to speculate the metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF) mechanism.
On the basis of result of small reduction in lifetime, we proposed that the mechanism may be pre-
Keywords:
Long-wavelength CDs
dominantly derived from the localized effectric field effect and partly from the intrinsic radiative decay
Ag NPs rate. Moreover, spin-coating technology was utilized to produce LCDs and Ag-LCDs hybrids films. Then,
Photoluminescence white light-emitting diodes (white LEDs) were constructed by these films with controllable thicknesses
White LEDs and GaN chips. The constructed white LED presented excellent optical performances with an optimal
color coordinates (CIE) of (0.33, 0.35), a color rendering index (CRI) of 74.6, a correlated color temper-
ature (CCT) of 5435 K. Notably, the existence of Ag NPs enable these LCDs to improve the luminous
efficacy (LE) from 32.63 lm W1 to 41.26 lm W1. Such superior optical merits enable them the promising
potentials for application in optical devices.
© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2017.01.072
0925-8388/© 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
76 S. Lin et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 700 (2017) 75e82
been involved to the Ag-enhanced fluorescence of SCDs, not to light red and then gradually to dark brown, indicating the gener-
mention any further improvement of LCDs and their application in ation of the LCDs.
white LED. Generally, core-shell structure is preferred to acquire a
better MEF effect, which is comprised of noble metal nanostructure, 2.2.3. Synthesis of Ag-LCDs hybrids
such as metal core or shell, a certain thickness of dielectric layer In this work, a simple and straightforward method was estab-
including silica or polymer and a luminescent species. For instance, lished to enhance PL intensity of LCDs. The Ag-LCDs hybrids could
research showed that tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) served as silica- be obtained by adding varying volume Ag NPs solution (0.0108 g/L)
shell and controlled the distance between Ag NPs and fluorescent into 3 ml LCDs. The volume of 0.6 mL, 0.8 mL, and 0.9 mL respec-
SCDs, which give rise to a more than four-fold increase in PL in- tively were labeled as A-LCDs, B-LCDs, C-LCDs hereafter. The
tensity of SCDs [16,17]. Nevertheless, these fabrication processes are schematic synthesis for the LCDs, Ag NPs and Ag-LCDs hybrids are
very time consuming and tedious. Interestingly, it was found that shown in Fig. 1.
SCDs with a green luminescent emission displayed an optimal
fluorescence owing to the addition of well-dispersed Ag NPs
2.2.4. Construction white LEDs
around the SCDs. Herein, Ag NPs were achieved by the reduction of
Spin-coating technology was obtained to caste the Ag-LCDs
Agþ [18]. The work offered a facile and convenient way to promote
hybrids solution on a quartz glass substrate and then heating the
PL intensity of SCDs, which stimulated the interest of study on Ag-
samples at 80 C for 12 h. Finally, white LEDs were constructed by
induced improvement of LCDs.
coupling the films with GaN chip.
In the present work, we synthesized the Ag-LCDs hybrids via a
simple chemistry method. Herein, we used LCDs as luminescent
species and Ag NPs as a fluorescent intensifier to enhance PL in- 2.3. Characterization techniques
tensity. Furthermore, according to the small reduction in lifetime,
we proposed that Ag-enhanced PL intensity could be both attrib- The microstructure of all the samples were carried out on a FEI
uted to the increase of the local field and the intrinsic radiative Tecnai F20 transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-
decay rate. Moreover, the films consisting of LCDs/Ag-LCDs and resolution TEM (HRTEM) which was operated at an acceleration
ultrathin quartz glass were gotten by spin-coating technology. voltage of 200 kV. The functional groups on the surface of the LCDs
White LED was finally fabricated by combining the GaN and these and Ag-LCDs hybrids were detected by the Fourier transform
films. Importantly, the Ag-LCDs present stronger PL intensity, infrared (FTIR), in which the all samples was ground with KBr po-
which further increase the luminous efficacy (LE). Thus, the work wer and measured using a Bruke Equinox 55 FTIR spectrometer
affords new opportunities to apply them in white LEDs. from 500 to 4000 cm1. Meanwhile, X-ray photoelectron spec-
troscopy (XPS) analysis was collected using an Axi Ultra DLD
2. Experimental spectrometer with monochromatic Al Ka as the excitation source.
The UVevis absorption spectra were recorded with a UV-2450
2.1. Materials spectrometer, in which the LCDs and Ag-LCDs were dissolved in
ethanol and Ag NPs was dispersed in water. The fluorescence
Anhydrous citric acid, N-(b-aminoethyl)-g-aminopropyl meth- spectra were conducted on a Horiba Jobin Yvon Fluromax-4P
yldimethoxy silane (AEAPMS), silver nitrate (AgNO3, 99.8%), so- spectrophotometer. Time resolved PL lifetime measurements
dium citrate tribasic dihydrate (TSC, 99%), sodium borohydride were performed using a time-correlated single-photon counting
(NaBH4, 99%) were purchased from Aladdin Chemistry Co.Ltd (TCSPC) lifetime spectroscopy system with a picosecond-pulsed
(Shanghai, China). All the chemicals used in the experiments were diode laser (EPL-400 nm) as the single wavelength excitation
of analytical grade and used as received without any further light source. Optical properties such as color rendering index (CRI),
purification. color coordinates (CIE), correlated color temperature (CCT) and LE
were evaluated employing an integrating sphere (PMS-50, Everfine,
2.2. Sample preparation China) under a forward current of 20 mA.
Fig. 2. (a) The typical TEM image of Ag NPs. The inset in (a) is the size distribution image; (b) HRTEM image and (c) SAED image of Ag NPs (d)TEM image of prepared LCDs The inset
in (d) is the size distribution image; (e) HRTEM images of the LCDs.
corresponding to the (111) lattice plane of Ag NPs [22]. Meanwhile, to 13.46 nm. The most distance distribution range from 1.02 nm to
the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) image (Fig. 2c) exhibits 5.8 nm, only a small part of the distance distribution range from
several diffraction rings, which match with (111), (220), (220) and 5.8 nm to 13 nm (Fig. S2).
(311) planes of Ag cubic phase. As revealed by Fig. 2d, the as- FTIR spectra are acquired to investigate the functional groups on
obtained LCDs has uniform spherical shape. The average size of the surface of the LCDs, in which six bands are displayed. Fig. 4
LCDs is 5 nm, which is smaller than Ag NPs (Fig. 2d). The clear reveals that these LCDs and Ag-LCDs hybrids possess abundant
lattice spacing of 0.32 nm is consistent with the (002) spacing of the hydrophilic group such as OeH (3450 cm1), NeH (1590 cm1),
crystalline graphite (Fig. 2e) [23]. thereby vouchsafing the excellent water solubility of the LCDs, and
The TEM image of the as-prepared Ag-LCDs hybrids (B-LCDs) is because of this, Ag NPs solution can be fully mixed with LCDs. The
present in Fig. 3a, demonstrating that the hybrids had heteroge- bands at 2930 cm1 and 1050 cm1 are, respectively, attributed to
neous morphology with varying size. We conjecture that the larger the CeH, SieOeCH groups. The stretching vibration of SieOeCH
NPs are Ag NPs and the smaller species are LCDs. Furthermore, the arises from the AEAPMS bonding on the surface of the LCDs. The
lattice spacing of the larger NPs is corresponding to the (111) lattice typical band located at around 1635 cm1 is ascribed to the C¼ONR
plane of Ag NPs. Apart from Ag NPs, the clear lattice spacing of the vibration, which is different from the pure AEAPMS [21]. Mean-
smaller NPs agrees well with the (002) spacing of the crystalline while, the FTIR spectra of LCDs and Ag-LCDs hybrids display the
graphite. It is obviously that there is no change in the size and similar characteristics, which means that the introduced Ag NPs
morphology after the addition of Ag NPs. Meanwhile, the Ag NPs solution had no exerted influence on the functional groups of LCDs.
are well-dispersed around LCDs rather than adsorbed on the sur- In addition, it is notable that the abundant oxygen-containing
face of LCDs, demonstrating no covalent binding effect or electro- groups such as eOH and eC]O presented on the surface of CDs
static interactions between Ag NPs and LCDs [24]. Meanwhile, the can reinforce the stability of Ag NPs, which may be ascribed to the
hybrids are explored by the energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). reducibility of the groups [25].
As show in Figs. S1bec, red, blue and rose red spots symbolize C, Ag XPS measurements are further carried out to characterize the
and Si, while most C are believed to arise from the copper grid chemical structure of the resultant LCDs. Fig. 5a is the full scale XPS
which covered the C. In our report, AEAPMS participate in chemical spectrum, it clearly displays five predominant peaks: C 1s (285 eV),
reactions and produce LCDs, therefore, rose red spots can be N 1s (400eV), O 1s (532eV), Si 2s (154 eV) as well as Si 2p (103 eV).
considered as LCDs. As shown in Fig. S1a, blue spots are well- The strong O 1s, C 1s and N 1s peaks reveal that the LCDs mainly
dispersed around rose red spots rather than adsorbed on the rose consist of carbon, oxygen and nitrogen. The present Si peaks
red spots which means the Ag NPs are well-dispersed around LCDs demonstrate that AEAPMS participate the reaction to synthesize
rather than adsorbed on the surface of LCDs, this result is consistent the LCDs. In the high resolution spectrum C 1s peak (Fig. 5b), the C
with TEM. The distance distributions are extracted from the TEM 1s band has been mainly deconvoluted into three peaks, repre-
image by using Nano Measure. The distance are range from 1.02 nm senting C]C (284.3 eV), CeN (285.2 eV), C]O (287.8 eV)
78 S. Lin et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 700 (2017) 75e82
Fig. 3. (a) TEM image of Ag-LCDs hybrids; (b) and (c) HRTEM image of Ag-LCDs hybrids.
Fig. 5. (a) Full XPS spectrum of LCDs. The high resolution XPS spectra of (b) C 1s, (c) O 1s and (d) Si 2p of LCDs hybrids respectively.
Fig. 7. PL spectra of LCDs, A-LCDs, B-LCDs and C-LCDs hybrids under the excitation of
460 nm and the PL intensity enhancement factor change with the different volume Ag
NPs (inset in Fig. 7).
at 610 nm (Fig. S4). And the PL intensity of the LCDs and Ag-LCDs
hybrids were dependent on the excitation wavelength. The
Fig. S4h show that the enhancement factor is very sensitive to the
excitation wavelengths and the largest enhancement factor (2
Fig. 6. UVevis spectra of LCDs, Ag-LCDs hybrids and Ag NPs.
folds) occurred at an excitation wavelength of 400 nm. Impres-
sively, the PL quantum yield of LCDs are increased from 19% up to
Particularly, the excitation of the LCDs between 380 nm and 24.5% after introducing 0.8 mL Ag NPs.
500 nm show only one [35,36], excitation-independent PL centered
80 S. Lin et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 700 (2017) 75e82
Fig. 8. Classical Jablonski diagram for the free-space condition and the modified form
in the presence of metallic particles. E-excitation,Em-metal enhanced excitation rate, г- Fig. 10. (a) Optical photograph of the Ag-LCDs films. (b) diagram of the white LED
radiative rate, Knr-nonradiative decay rates for excited state relaxation and гm-radia- device combining blue GaN chip with Ag-LCDs hybrids films and (c) the photograph of
tive rate in the presence of metal. the device on the operation.
S. Lin et al. / Journal of Alloys and Compounds 700 (2017) 75e82 81
Fig. 11. CIE color coordinates of the white LEDs fabricated by coupling the 460 nm blue light with B-LCDs hybrids films (S1 ¼ 0.35 mm, S2 ¼ 0.4 mm, S3 ¼ 0.6 mm, S4 ¼ 0.7 mm). The
insets show the normalized EL spectra for the fabricated white LEDs. Thickness dependence of (b) CCT and (c) CRI of white LED. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this
figure legend, the reader is referred to the web version of this article.)
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