title: White-light photoluminescence and photoactivation in cadmium sulfide embedded in mesoporous silicon dioxide templates studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy.
abstract: SBA-15 and SBA-16 silica templates have been infiltrated with CdS by means of nanocasting using a hybrid precursor. The morphology and structure of both the SiO2@CdS nanocomposites and the silica-free CdS replicas have been characterized. The three-dimensional nanocrystalline CdS networks embedded in SBA-15 and SBA-16 silica templates exhibit broad photoluminescence (PL) spectra over the entire visible range, together with enhanced PL intensity compared to silica-free CdS replicas. These effects result from the role silica plays in passivating the surface of the CdS mesostructures. Furthermore, photoactivation is eventually observed during continuous illumination because of both structural and chemical surface modifications. Owing to this combination of properties, these materials could be appealing for solid-state lighting, where ultra-bright near-white PL emission is indispensable.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Eva.Pellicer@uab.cat
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pellicer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rossinyol
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosado
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Domingo-Roca
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suriñach
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Castell
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Baró
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roldán
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sort
keywords: CdS; Confocal laser scanning microscopy; Mesoporous silica; Nanocasting; Photoactivation; SBA-15; SBA-16; White-light photoluminescence