Materials Research Bulletin
Phenoxo bridged dinuclear Zn(II) Schiff base complex as new precursor
for preparation zinc oxide nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization,
crystal structures and photoluminescence studies
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S. Saeedniaa, , P. Iranmanesh , M. Hatefi Ardakani , M. Mohammadi , Gh. Norouzi
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Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 77188-97111, Iran
Department of physics, Faculty of Science, Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan, Rafsanjan 77188-97111, Iran
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A R T I C L E I N F O
A B S T R A C T
Article history:
Received 12 July 2015
Received in revised form 8 January 2016
Accepted 7 February 2016
Available online 11 February 2016
Nanoparticles of a novel Zn(II) Schiff base complex, [Zn(HL)NO3]2 (1), (H2L = 2-[(2-hydroxy-propylimino)
methyl] phenol), was synthesized by using solvothermal method. Shape, morphology and chemical
structure of the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-
ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectoscopy (FT-IR) and UV–vis spectroscopy.
Structural determination of compound 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results
were revealed that the zinc complex is a centrosymmetric dimer in which deprotonated phenolates
bridge the two five-coordinate metal atoms and link the two halves of the dimer. The thermal stability of
compound 1 was analyzed by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry
(DSC). The effect of the initial substrates concentration and reaction time on size and morphology of
compound 1 nanostructure was investigated as well. Furthermore, the luminescent properties of the
complex 1 were examined. ZnO nanoparticles with diameter between 15 and 20 nm were simply
synthesized by solid-state transformation of compound 1 at 700 ꢀC.
Keywords:
A. Nanostructures
B. Solvothermal
B. Luminescence
C. X-ray diffraction
ã 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
1. Introduction
Nano coordination complex can be synthesized using various
methods and conditions including microwave, sonochemistry [13–
Recently zinc complexes of tridentate Schiff-base ligands have
received continual and considerable attention in many fields of
research because of their potential usage in various applications
such as biomolecules, catalysts, optoelectronic etc. [1–4].
15], coordination modulation, hydrothermal, solvothermal etc.
[16,17]. Normally decreasing the size of coordination complexes
from bulk powder crystalline to nano-size improve their properties
and applications [18].
Dinuclear group 12 metal ions complexes of Schiff base ligands
are well-studied area of research in coordination chemistry
because of their key roles in many applications [5]. Among them
dinuclear Zn(II) complexes have attracted great attention due to
their potential use in many applications such as biomedical as anti-
cancer drug [6] biology as antibacterial and antifungal agent [7], as
functional model complexes of enzymes [8] and chemical
industries as catalyst [9]. Moreover zinc Schiff base complexes
have founded to show the luminescence properties [10] which
makes them suitable to generate OLED devices with various
frameworks and improved properties [11,12].
Zinc oxide is a well-known semiconductor. It has used in many
applications such as surface acoustic wave devices, gas sensor
devices, laser and optoelectronic devices [19]. Zinc oxide nano-
particles can be prepared by different methods. From these
methods, the use of zinc coordination complex as precursors for
the preparation of zinc(II) oxide is one of the most commonly used
methods because of its simplicity, low cost reaction, fairly low
temperature method, and no necessity for use of surfactant or
capping molecules [18,20].
In this study we were used a simple solvothermal method to
synthesize nanostructured zinc(II) supramolecular compound, [Zn
(HL)NO3]2 (1), (H2L = 2-[(2-hydroxy-propylimino) methyl] phenol)
and its use as a precursor for preparation of ZnO nanoparticles
without any surfactant or capping agents. In comparison with the
reported methods for preparing ZnO nanoparticles [18–20], the
advantage of thermal decomposition route lies in its simplicity,
including simple synthesis, relatively low temperature and high
* Corresponding author.
(S. Saeednia).
0025-5408/ã 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.