The Effect of Incorporation of Hydrocarbon Groups on Visible Photoluminescence of Thermally Treated Fumed Silica

Methyl, methoxy and alcoxy groups with different number of carbon atoms were chemically grafted onto the surface of fumed silica nanoparticles. After chemical modification the nanopowders were annealed in vacuum at 700 °C. The effect of the amount of carbon atoms in grafted hydrocarbon groups and type of bonding to silica surface (Si-C v.s. Si-O-C) were studied. It was demonstrated that carbon incorporation results in the development of broad band photoluminescence that covers the wholevisible spectral range. Increasing of carbon incorporation resulted in increasing of photoluminescence intensity and red shift of the photoluminescence band maximum.