Matrix Effect of Properties of Au, ZnO and Eu₂O₃: Silica, Titania and Alumina Matrices

The composites Au/SiO2, Au/TiO2, Au/Al2O3, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/TiO2, ZnO/Al2O3 and Eu2O3/SiO2, Eu2O3/TiO2 and Eu2O3/Al2O3 were prepared using a solid-state method. The effect of the polymer precursors was investigated using two precursor polymers, Chitosan and Poly(styrene-co-4vinylpyridine), (PS-co-4-PVP) in the M/MxLy•Chitosan//M’xO’y as well as M/MxLy•PS-co-4-PVP//M’xO’y with M’xO’y = SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3. The effects on the particle size and morphology were observed. The new composites were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, SEM-EDS mapping and HRTEM analysis. The distribution of the metallic nanoparticles as well as the metal oxide nanoparticles inside the matrices depend on the matrix. Marked optical and photocatalytic effects of the Au, ZnO and Eu2O3 inside the SiO2, TiO2 and Al2O3 matrices are expected. An experiment is in course.