Quenching of growth of zinc oxide nanoparticles by adsorption of organic stabilizers

Abstract

We examined quenching of growth of ZnO nanoparticles with the injection of various organic surfactants. Aliphatic isocyanides as well as organothiols were found to adsorb on ZnO nanoparticle surfaces. For a carboxylate-terminated thiol, a retardation of growth appeared to be effective presumably due to the adsorption of the carboxylate COO- group on the ZnO surface. Photoluminescence spectra and transmission electron microscopy images were obtained for thiol-capped ZnO nanoparticles. The thiol-capped ZnO nanoparticles was found to fluoresce at the wavelength shorter by similar to6 nm than those in the absence of any organic surfactants.