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Hybrid ZnO–Dye Hollow Spheres with New Optical Properties by a Self‐Assembly Process Based on Evans Blue Dye and Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide
Author(s) -
Cong H.P.,
Yu S.H.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200601082
Subject(s) - materials science , bromide , ionic bonding , chemical engineering , crystallization , fabrication , self assembly , micelle , hybrid material , salt (chemistry) , semiconductor , zinc , nanotechnology , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , ion , optoelectronics , aqueous solution , chemistry , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology , engineering , metallurgy
A facile one‐step process for the fabrication of hybrid ZnO–dye hollow spheres with novel optical properties has been discovered. Addition of Evans blue (EB) dye to cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) results in the formation of CTAB‐EB micelles through an ionic self‐assembly process, and the resulting material acts as a soft template for the crystallization of ZnO upon addition of a zinc salt and ammonia under mild refluxing conditions. The formation mechanism of such hollow spheres has been investigated. These new hybrid ZnO–dye hollow spheres display distinct optical properties that differ from properties observed for the pure ZnO and dye components. This approach is a new and effective method for fabricating novel semiconductor–dye hybrids with unique electronic and optical properties and is expected to provide access to additional inorganic–organic materials with novel structures and unusual functionalities.