Exploring nanoarchitectonics and optical properties of PAA-ZnO@BCP wide-band-gap organic semiconductors

Abstract

This work reports the formation of polyacrylic acid (PAA)—zinc oxide (ZnO)—bromocresol purple (BCP), (PAA-ZnO@ (0.00–0.01) BCP wide-bandgap organic semiconductors deposited onto glass substrates via a sol–gel polymerization process. These semiconductor films were deposited on glass substrates using a spin coating and then dried at 60 °C. The PAA-ZnO film appeared to be of amorphous phase, and films loaded with BCP revealed semicrystalline behavior. The surface of the films exhibited adherence and extended grains. The hydrogen bonds formed between PAA-ZnO and the BCP dye within the PAA-ZnO@BCP films was performed using FTIR-spectroscopy. The prepared nanocomposites demonstrate an indirect band transition which is affected slightly by adding ZnO and BCP dye. Optical parameters such as the absorption coefficient, the refractive index, the dielectric constant, optical conductivity, optical depth, and optical electronegativity of the prepared nanocomposites were studied as functions of incident light energy (wavelength). The PAA carbonyl group n-π* transition and BCP aromatic ring π-π* transitions were detected at about 285 (for all samples) and 432 nm (for BCP loaded samples), respectively. The superior photoluminescence characteristics observed in the BCP/PAA-Zn films excited with a wavelength of 250 nm indicated the successful loading of the BCP dye during the self-aggregation of the PAA-Zn film.