Investigation of structural, morphological and photoluminescence properties in ZnO: Co2+ nanostructures prepared by solution combustion technique using Mimosa pudica leaf extract as a fuel

Abstract

Novel solution combustion technique was equipped for the synthesis of ZnO:Co2+ (1–11 mol%) nanostructures using mimosapudica (MP) leaf extract as a fuel. The prepared sample exhibits highly crystalline structure showing mushroom like morphological features. This might be due to the experimental reaction took place at the time of synthesis and evident that morphology was highly dependant on concentration of leaf extract. The obtained product of ZnO:Co2+ through MP leaf extract was examined through several characterization techniques. The packing diagram obtained using Rietveld refinement data shows the formation of hexagonal wurtzite structure having crystallite size 43–68 nm, cell volume ∼ 47.58 Å3 and density of atoms ∼ 8.42 × 1022 atoms percm3. From FTIR spectra the absorption peak in the range 500–650 cm−1exhibits the Zn-O stretching frequency having the high orientation of ZnO wurtzite structure. The energy band gap increases with Co2+ ion concentration in ZnO. The Photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra was observed in blue and green region at 422–435 & 524 nm respectively due to the presence of Zinc and oxygen vacancies. The CIE coordinate value reflecting in blue and green region confirms that the ZnO:Co2+ can be used as a one of the component in production of artificial white light LEDs/solid state display applications.