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ZnO nanorods combined with different concentrations of reduced graphene oxide were synthesized using the hydrothermal method. Structural properties of these nanocomposites were studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. Morphological studies on the shape and size of nanorods were carried out by scanning electron microscopy. X-ray diffraction results revealed highly-crystalline nanorods with a hexagonal wurtzite structure. The morphology of as prepared samples is characterized presence of one-dimensional rod-like nanostructures. Crystallite size, stress and lattice strain were determined by Scherrer equation and Williamson–Hall method. The average particle size of samples calculated from microstructural and morphological analyses are highly interrelated. Microraman spectra exhibited both characteristic bands of ZnO and reduced graphene oxide in the low frequency (300–500 cm−1) and high frequency (1300–1600 cm−1) ranges, respectively, furthermore confirming the efficiency of the hydrothermal synthesis of ZnO/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites. The band gap of the nanocomposite is lower (2.96 eV).compared to that of ZnO (3.10 eV), as determined from the analysis of UV absorbance spectra.

Yb doped ZnO nanorods were prepared on glass substrates by the hydrothermal method in order to investigate the insertion of Yb ions in the ZnO matrix and the related morphological, structural and vibrational properties of the samples. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the undoped and Yb doped ZnO nanorods exhibit the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure with a preferential orientation along (1 0 1) direction and the size of the particle is found to be decreased with Yb content. SEM images show rods shape with more agglomeration in Yb doped ZnO nanorods. The vibrational study has also been performed using FT-IR spectroscopy which gives the presence of an absorption band corresponding to the stretching mode frequency of ZnO (Zn−O), the bands corresponding to organic precursors were no longer present in the FTIR spectrum after doping, which supports the incorporation of Yb ions into the ZnO lattice. Raman spectra confirmed the hexagonal wurtzite structure of pure and Yb doped ZnO nanoparticles with E2 (high) mode at 438 cm−1 and the presence of other possible defects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Yb doping on the structural and vibrational properties of ZnO nanorods.

In this paper, the influence of graphene oxide coating on optical and photoluminescence properties of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) has been investigated. ZnO NRs were prepared using a hydrothermal route (from zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine), graphene oxide (GO) was fabricated by Hummer’s method, while for synthesis of ZnO nanorods:graphene oxide nanocomposite (ZnO NRs:GO) on Si (100) substrate, a facile technique (drop coating) was proposed. The structural, morphological, optical and luminescence properties of the films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), together with Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman, ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared (UV/VIS/NIR) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. As revealed by XRD analysis, composites display a hexagonal wurtzite type structure with a (101) preferred grain orientation. The average crystallite sizes decrease from 45 to 40 nm after GO coating. The SEM study confirms successful coating of GO layers on flower-like ZnO nanostructures. The FTIR and Raman analyses validated the hybridization of nanocomposite and the strong interaction between ZnO NRs and GO. The band gap of the ZnO NRs:GO nanocomposite is lower (2.95eV) compared to that of ZnO NRs (3.11 eV), as determined from the analysis of UV absorbance spectra. The ZnO NRs:GO nanocomposite exhibits a broad PL band, from ∼450 nm to ∼750 nm, with a nearly white-light integrated emission and a chromaticity coordinate of (0.25, 0.34). Gaussian deconvoluted broad PL band exhibits three distinct sub-bands, associated with radiative recombinations in ZnO and GO.

Temperature dependence of d. c. electric conductivity of some recently synthesized heterocyclic compounds, 4,4′-bipyridine and indolizine derivatives, in thin films (d = 0.27–0.51 μm) spin-coated from chloroform solutions onto glass, is studied. The investigated compounds are polycrystalline (as shown by X-ray Diffraction analysis) and show typical n-type semiconductor behavior. The activation energy of d. c. electric conduction ranges between 1.55 and 2.33 eV. Some correlations between semiconducting characteristics and essential features of molecular structure of organic compounds have been established. In the higher temperature range (400–520 K), the electronic transport properties in present compounds can be explained in the frame of band gap representation model, while in the lower temperature range (300–350 K), the Mott's variable-range hopping conduction model can be conveniently used.

In this work, the effects of graphene oxide (GO) concentrations (1.5 wt.%, 2.5 wt.%, and 5 wt.%) on the structural, morphological, optical, and luminescence properties of zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs)/GO nanocomposites, synthesized by a facile hydrothermal process, were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of NRs revealed the hexagonal wurtzite structure for all composites with an average coherence length of about 40&ndash, 60 nm. A scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study confirmed the presence of transparent and wrinkled, dense GO nanosheets among flower-like ZnO nanorods, depending on the GO amounts used in preparation. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet&ndash, visible (UV&ndash, Vis) absorption spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements revealed the impact of GO concentration on the optical and luminescence properties of ZnO NRs/GO nanocomposites. The energy band gap of the ZnO nanorods was independent of GO concentration. Photoluminescence spectra of nanocomposites showed a significant decrease in the intensities in the visible light range and red shifted suggesting a charge transfer process. The nanocomposites&rsquo, chromaticity coordinates for CIE 1931 color space were estimated to be (0.33, 0.34), close to pure white ones. The obtained results highlight the possibility of using these nanocomposites to achieve good performance and suitability for optoelectronic applications.

The nanocrystalline iron manganite was be successfully synthesized, for capacitive humidity sensor application, by sol–gel self-combustion method using polyvinyl alcohol as colloidal medium, followed by heat treatment. The best performances as humidity sensor were found, at working frequency of 100 Hz: a high sensitivity over a wide range of relative humidity, 11–98% RH (the capacity increases by over 40 times); a good linearity of the logC vs. RH characteristics over the whole RH range, for all used frequencies. The sensor exhibits very small hysteresis, lower sensitivity to temperature, keeping linear characteristics and a short response time. The investigated material holds promise for humidity monitoring applications, taking into account the low cost, a wide range of relative humidity and a low-contamination impact.

Electric (d.c. conduction mechanism, the influence of environmental humidity, thermistor effect) and optical properties of new five substituted calixarene derivatives in thin films have been studied. The films behave as typical n-type polycrystalline semiconductors with activation energy of the electric conduction between 0.26 and 2.36 eV. In the higher temperature range, the electron transport was explained in the frame of the band gap representation model, while at lower temperatures, the Mott’s variable-range hopping conduction model was found as appropriate. In terms of electric conductivity, these compounds are practically insensitive to ambient humidity below 53% RH, their sensitivity increasing greatly with the humidity in the range of 53–98% RH. Study of optical absorption spectra in the photon energy range of 0.71–4.03 eV (UV–Vis–NIR) revealed direct optical band gaps between 2.64 and 3.83 eV. Actual compounds show promising potential for thermistor applications.

Gallium oxide (β-Ga2O3) nanowires were synthesized by heat treatment of single crystal β-GaS plates in air. Crystal structure and composition of synthesized materials were studied by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Thermal treatment of β-GaS plates at 1023 K leads to the formation of a Ga2O3 (native oxide) layer on β-GaS (0001) surface of plates. Layer thickness and size of Ga2O3 wires contained were found to depend on temperature and duration of applied heat treatment. For 1023 K and 6 h, the length of Ga2O3 wires laid in the range from units to tens of nanometers, while for 1123 K and 30 min, between 30 and 40 μm.

Temperature dependences of electric conductivity and thermoelectric power of some recently synthesized organic compounds, 4-tert-butylcalix[4]arene derivatives, are studied. Thin-film samples (d = 0.10–0.40 μm) spin-coated from chloroform solutions onto glass substrates were used. Organic films with reproducible electron transport properties can be obtained if, after deposition, they are submitted to a heat treatment within temperature range of 295–575 K. The studied polycrystalline compounds show typical p-type semiconductor behavior. The activation energy of the electric conduction ranges between 0.82 and 1.12 eV, while the ratio of charge carrier mobilities was found in the range of 0.83–0.94. Some correlations between semiconducting parameters and molecular structure of the organic compounds have been discussed. In the higher temperature ranges (T > 420 K), the electron transport in examined compounds can be interpreted in terms of the band gap representation model, while in the lower temperature range, the Mott's variable-range hopping conduction model was found to be appropriate. The investigated compounds hold promise for thermistor applications.