Facile synthesis and enhanced luminescence behavior of ZnO: Reduced graphene oxide(rGO) hybrid nanostructures

The structural, electronic and luminescence behavior of ZnO nanorods and ZnO-reduced graphene oxide (ZnO:rGO) hybrid nanostructures have been studied using X-diffraction (XRD), Raman scattering, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) studies. XRD and Raman analyses reveal the formation of hybrid nanostructures composed of ZnO and rGO. The morphology and elemental composition of the grown nanostructures were investigated using FESEM and EDX measurements. The hybridization of rGO with ZnO provides an additional path way for the transfer of charge from the defect states of ZnO to rGO as evidenced from the increase in unoccupied density of states in the O-K edge XANES spectra and the enhanced UV, blue emissions as well as the suppressed visible emission in the PL spectra, respectively. Our systematic experimental investigations demonstrate the hybridization of rGO with ZnO is an effective approach to tailor the optical properties of ZnO and offers the prospective way for the fabrication of novel optoelectronic devices.