A solvothermal route to ZnO and Mn-doped ZnO nanoparticles using the cupferron complex as the precursor

ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesized from the cupferron complex by a solvothermal route in toluene solution. The nanoparticles have been prepared in the presence of various capping agents, of which the best results were obtained with tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, polyethylene glycol, and sodium bis (2-ethylhexyl) sulphosuccinate. The particles obtained with these capping agents have diameters in the 8-14 nm range. The nanoparticles have been characterized by electron microscopy, UV absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, besides x-ray diffraction. Optical spectra of the small nanoparticles show evidence for quantum confinement. ZnO nanoparticles doped with 5% and 10% Mn could be prepared by the solvothermal route starting with a Zn(1-x)Mnx cupferron complex, and the Mn-doped nanoparticles remain paramagnetic down to 5K.