title: Facile synthesis, microstructure and photophysical properties of core-shell nanostructured (SiCN)/BN nanocomposites.
abstract: Increasing structural complexity at nanoscale can permit superior control over photophysical properties in the precursor-derived semiconductors. We demonstrate here the synthesis of silicon carbonitride (SiCN)/boron nitride (BN) nanocomposites via a polymer precursor route wherein the cobalt polyamine complexes used as the catalyst, exhibiting novel composite structures and photophysical properties. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) analysis shows that the diameters of SiCN-BN core-shell nanocomposites and BN shells are 50‒400 nm and 5‒25 nm, respectively. BN nanosheets (BNNSs) are also observed with an average sheet size of 5‒15 nm. The photophysical properties of these nanocomposites are characterized using the UV-Vis and photoluminescence (PL) analyses. The as-produced composites have emission behavior including an emission lifetime of 2.5 ns (±20 ps) longer observed in BN doped SiCN than that seen for SiC nanoparticles. Our results suggest that the SiCN/BN nanocomposites act as semiconductor displaying superior width photoluminescence at wavelengths spanning the visible to near-infrared (NIR) spectral range (400‒700 nm), owing to the heterojunction of the interface between the SiC(N) nanowire core and the BN nanosheet shell.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Dechang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Delong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: College of Engineering Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Michigan, United State.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Laine
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute for Advanced Ceramics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou