Shape-controlled magnetic

nanoplatelets of Ni-doped ZnO

synthesized via a chemical precursor
Avila, Franza
MatE 161

ZnO
Potental use as optical transducers, light
emitters, transparent solar cells, acoustooptic media, and photo detectors
Diluted semiconductor magnetic (DMS)
materials are doped with transition metal
(TM) ions to give them ferromagnetic
properties

ZnO based DMS Materials

Has high Curie temp (can retain
ferromagnetism at high temp)
Potential applications: magneto-optical
devices, magnetic sensors, bio-sensors
Chemical formula: Zn1-xNixO
x values tested: 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, o.o7, 0.1

Materials

Zinc nitrate hexahydrate - Zn(NO3)26H2O

Nickel nitrate hexahydrate - Ni(NO3)26H2O
Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)
25% aqueous NH4OH soln
Sucrose (C12H22O12) solution

Procedure

0.2 M Zn(NO3)26H2O and 0-21.77 mM Ni(NO3)26H2O

added dropwise to a PVA-sucrose soln (1:10 wt ratio)
Temp kept at 60-65C under continuous stirring, pH
kept at 9 using NH4OH
Mixture cooled to 20-25C and left for 24 hrs
Precipitate taken and washed w/ methanol, then
dried at 50-60C
Precipitate ground using mortar & pestle, fired for 2
hours at 500-600C in air

Analytical Techniques

X-ray Diffractometer
UV-Vis Spectrometer
Field Emission SEM
High Resolution TEM
Fluorescence Spectrometer
Vibrating Sample Magnetometer

Chemical Reactions

Zn(NO3)2 + 2NH4OH Zn(OH)2 + NH3 +

2HNO3
Ni(NO3)2 + 2NH4OH Ni(OH)2 + NH3 +
2HNO3
(1-x)Zn(OH)2 + xNi(OH)2 + 4NH4OH + 2e-
Zn1-xNixO22- + 4NH3 + 6H2O
Zn1-xNixO22- Zn1-xNixO + O2-

Mechanism
H-bonds from PVA chains attract not only
Ni2+ and Zn2+ but also other PVA chains
PVA forms a ring structure, metal ions
accumulate at the center of the ring
Once ring becomes full, PVA becomes a
capping agent which keeps metal ions from
further adding
NH4OH reacts with the accumulated metal
ions