Synthesis and study of photoluminescence characteristics of carbon nanotube/ZnS hybrid nanostructures

Single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) samples were rigorously purified by high temperature oxidation, acid treatment, ultrasonication, neutralisation and filtration process. By a very simple wet chemical route, SWCNT bundles were hybridised with freshly prepared ZnS nanocrystals of average size 2.00 nm. Characterisation of the prepared samples was done by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared ray spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Photoluminescence (PL) study of the SWCNT/ZnS hybrid structure showed two distinct types of emission patterns depending upon the excitation wavelength, one in the ultraviolet region wavelengths and the other, for the higher excitation wavelength range, when the PL spectrum mostly covered the visible region.