Synthesis and enhanced light absorption of alumina matrix nanocomposites containing multilayer oxide nanorods and silver nanoparticles

Journal Article · Tue Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2011 · Materials Research Bulletin

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.MATERRESBULL.2011.07.050· OSTI ID:22210098

Zeng, Xianwu; Su, Lusheng; Yang, Lu ^[1]; Gan, Bo J. ^[2]; Zhang, Lihua ^[3]

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1. Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)
2. Ottawa Hills High School, 2532 Evergreen Road, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States)
3. Center for Functional Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

Highlights: {yields} Multilayer oxide nanorods (nanocables) were obtained via chemical processing. {yields} Ag nanoparticles were deposited between the core and shell layers of the nanorods. {yields} The structure and composition of the nanorods were analyzed by SEM and TEM. {yields} CoO nanorods and Ag nanoparticles enhance light absorption of the nanocomposites. -- Abstract: In this paper, multilayer oxide nanorods were deposited in the nanopores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) via solution infiltration followed by heat treatment. The nanorods have a core-shell structure. First, the shell (nanotube) with the thickness of about 40 nm was made of TiO{sub 2} through the hydrolysis of (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}TiF{sub 6}. Second, silver nanoparticles with the diameter of about 3 nm were added into the TiO{sub 2} layer through thermal decomposition of AgNO{sub 3} at elevated temperatures. Then, cylindrical cores (nanorods) of CoO and ZnO with 200 nm diameter were prepared, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the structure and composition of the nanorods. UV-vis light absorption measurements in the wavelength range from 350 to 1000 nm were performed to study the effect of nanorod and nanoparticle addition on the light absorption property of the alumina nanocomposites. It is found that CoO nanorods increase the light absorption of the alumina matrix composite in the wavelength range from 500 nm to 800 nm, but the TiO{sub 2} shell does not increase the light absorption much. The ZnO nanorods do not change the light absorption either. However, the addition of silver nanoparticles significantly enhances light absorption of both AAO/TiO{sub 2}/Ag/CoO and AAO/TiO{sub 2}/Ag/ZnO nanocomposites. This increase in the visible light absorption reveals that there exists surface plasmon around the fine silver nanoparticles in the nanorods.

• OSTI ID: 22210098
• Journal Information: Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 46, Issue 11; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
ABSORPTION
COBALT OXIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DEPOSITS
HEAT TREATMENTS
LAYERS
NANOTUBES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PYROLYSIS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SILVER NITRATES
SYNTHESIS
TITANIUM OXIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
WAVELENGTHS
ZINC OXIDES