SGER: Directed Hydrothermal Growth and Photoluminescence of ZnO Crystals

本项目旨在利用螯合配体和锌反离子合成氧化锌（ZnO）的平板晶体，以产生这种晶体习惯。它还旨在将水化学与导致不同晶体习性的定向生长速率联系起来。通过形态分析软件，可以确定参与晶体生长的各种氢氧化锌离子的过饱和度。观察到的晶体习性和过饱和度之间的相关性将确定一个特定的物种作为可能的主要生长单位。ZnO晶体平面的固态结构和含溶液组分的化合物的结构将用于确定特定平面的水组分亲和力，这将影响定向生长速率。最后的目的是用光致发光光谱仪测量自旋包覆晶体的发射特性，使用聚合物作为衬底上的结合介质。这将通过直接测量合成晶体效用的综合项目来加强学生的教学，并通过在纳米技术研究和高级教学实验室中使用光谱仪来补充课程材料。氧化锌是一类导电透明氧化物中的一员，在从节能窗户玻璃到光伏和显示器件技术的透明触点的应用中都很重要。此外，多达14名本科化学专业的学生将在三年的时间里接触到水热晶体生长的复杂性。此外，这所本科院校的整个化学课程将通过获得光致发光光谱仪而得到加强，该光谱仪也将用于本科生的实验室练习和纳米技术研究。值得注意的是，该校75%的化学专业学生是女性，12%是代表性不足的少数族裔。*＊*

This project aims to synthesize plate crystals of zinc oxide (ZnO) by using chelating ligands and zinc counterions shown previously to produce this crystal habit. It also aims to connect the aqueous chemistry to directional growth rates leading to different crystal habits. With speciation software, supersaturation will be determined for the various species of zinc hydroxide ions believed to participate in crystal growth. The correlation between observed crystal habit and supersaturation will identify a particular species as a likely primary growth unit. Solid-state structure of ZnO crystallographic planes and the structure of compounds containing solution species will be used to ascertain aqueous species affinities for specific planes, which would affect directional growth rates. The final aim is to measure emission properties of spin-coated crystals with a photoluminescence spectrometer, using polymers as binding media on substrates. This will enhance student instruction with comprehensive projects that directly gauge the utility of synthesized crystals and complement curricular materials initiatives with spectrometer utilization in nanotechnology research and upper-level teaching laboratories.%%%Zinc oxide is a member of a class of conducting transparent oxides important in applications extending from energy conserving window glass to transparent contacts for photovoltaic and display device technologies. In addition, up to 14 undergraduate chemistry majors over three years will be exposed to the intricacies of hydrothermal crystal growth. Moreover, the entire chemistry curriculum this undergraduate institution will be enhanced by the acquisition of the photoluminescence spectrometer which will also be used for undergraduate laboratory exercises and nanotechnology research. It is notable that 75% of chemistry majors in this institution are women and 12% are underrepresented minorities. ***