Highly transparent and conducting graphene-embedded ZnO films with enhanced photoluminescence fabricated by aerosol synthesis

Abstract

Graphene/inorganic hybrid structures have attracted increasing attention in research aimed at producing advanced optoelectronic devices and sensors. Herein, we report on aerosol synthesis of new graphene-embedded zinc oxide (ZnO) films with higher optical transparency (> 80% at visible wavelengths), improved electrical conductivity (> 2 orders of magnitude, similar to 20 k Omega = square), and enhanced photoluminescence (similar to 3 times), as compared to bare ZnO film. The ZnO/graphene composite films, in which reduced graphene oxide nanoplatelets (similar to 4 nm thick) are embedded in nanograined ZnO (similar to 50 nm in grain size), were fabricated from colloidal suspensions of graphene oxide with an aqueous zinc precursor. These new luminescent ZnO/graphene composites, with high optical transparency and improved electrical conductivity, are promising materials for use in optoelectronic devices.