Effect of Mg doping on photoluminescence of ZnO/MCM-41 nanocomposite

In this paper, photoluminescence (PL) behavior of MgxZn1−xO/MCM-41 nanocomposite (where x = 0.05, 0.15, 0.25 and 0.30) is reported. Samples were characterized with small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXRD), wide angle XRD, BET (Brunauer–Emmet–Teller) surface area and pore size analyzer, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), high resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) and PL spectrometer. The structure of MCM-41 was confirmed from both SAXRD and BET results. A broad PL band positioned at around 393 nm has been exhibited by ZnO/MCM-41 nanocomposite. With Mg doping, intensity of this PL band decreased for x = 0.05 and 0.15 and above this there was gradual enhancement in intensity. It was found that the intensity of the PL band, strongly depends on the particle size of ZnO. The increase in particle size along with MgO phase separation for x = 0.30 was proved by HR-TEM analysis. Interestingly, the differences in particle sizes at different concentrations of Mg did not account for shift in the PL band. A twofold enhancement in the intensity of PL band when x = 0.30 compared to bare ZnO/MCM-41 nanocomposite was observed. It is attributed for the increase in particle size which preserves the energy saved by passivation of ZnO nanoparticles and the other one is formation of heterojunction structures between ZnO and MgO. It was also evident from these results that there is increase in oxygen vacancies of ZnO crystallites with increase in particle size.