Order fluctuation induced tunable light emission from carbon nanosystem

Abstract

The paper reports the thermal-induced order fluctuations, in a carbon nanosystem with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) synthesized by the incomplete combustion of gingelly oil. The sample annealed at different temperatures (30–400 °C) is subjected to various morphological and spectroscopic characterizations. The ultraviolet–visible spectroscopic and thermogravimetric analyses reveal the CNTs in the sample. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) also confirms the formation of CNTs in the sample. The Raman spectrum and X-ray diffraction pattern show the signature of multi-walled to single-walled CNT transformation and thus an order fluctuation on annealing. The quantum yield of the sample, measured by integrating sphere method, yields 46.15% at an emission wavelength of 575 nm. When the excitation wavelength is varied from 350 to 510 nm, the CIE coordinate moves from the white region to the yellowish-green region. The varying amount of CNTs in the soot, upon annealing is found to vary the luminescence emission from the sample. The study reveals the thermal-induced oscillatory order in carbon nanosystem with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) leading to tunable excitation/thermal-dependent luminescence emission and thereby suggesting the possibility of converting the futile soot for fruitful applications in photonics and nanoelectronics.