SGER: Directed Hydrothermal Growth and Photoluminescence of ZnO Crystals

本项目旨在通过使用前面显示的螯合配体和锌反离子来合成氧化锌(ZnO)的片状晶体，以产生这种结晶习惯。它还旨在将水化学与定向生长速度联系起来，从而产生不同的晶体习惯。利用形态形成软件，将确定据信参与晶体生长的各种氢氧化锌离子的过饱和度。观察到的结晶习性和过饱和度之间的相关性将确定一个特定的物种可能是主要的生长单位。氧化锌晶面的固态结构和含有溶液物种的化合物的结构将被用来确定特定平面上的水物种亲和力，这将影响定向生长速度。最终目的是用光致发光光谱仪测量旋涂晶体的发射特性，使用聚合物作为基片上的结合介质。这将通过全面的项目来加强学生的教学，这些项目直接衡量合成晶体的效用，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倡议。%氧化锌是一类导电透明氧化物的成员，在从节能窗口玻璃到光伏和显示设备技术的透明触点的应用中非常重要。此外，在三年的时间里，多达14名化学专业的本科生将接触到复杂的水热晶体生长。此外，这所本科院校的整个化学课程将通过购买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，该机构化学专业的75%是女性，12%是代表性不足的少数民族。***

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. ***