Preparation, structural and linear optical properties of zinc sillenite (Bi12.66Zn0.33O19.33) nanocrystals

To prepare zinc sillenite nanopowders, bismuth nitrate and zinc nitrate were taken in 12:1 and 12.66:0.33 mol ratios. Zinc sillenite (Bi12.66Zn0.33O19.33) nanocrystalline powder was prepared by simple chemical solution decomposition method via heat treatment. Studies were focused on the formation of single crystalline phases and their linear optical properties. TG-DTA, XRD, DRS, IR, Raman, FE-SEM-EDS, and TEM techniques were used systematically to characterize the zinc sillenites. X-ray powder diffraction studies confirm that the heat treatment at 650 A degrees C leads to cubic structure with zinc sillenites phase. Lattice parameter and the band gap of zinc sillenite were estimated as (a=) 10.21 and 2.75 eV respectively. We could observe the bismuth-oxygen sublattice vibrational modes alone in the Raman/IR vibrational spectra of zinc sillenite.