Effects of ZnO and SiO2 shell thickness on the structure and optical properties of ZnS:Mn2+ nanowires/ZnO quantum dots/SiO2 core/shell nanocomposites

• We synthesized the ZnS:Mn2+ NWs/ZnO QDs/SiO2 nanocomposites.
• The PL intensity reached highest when t=4 h for the sample MolNWs:QDs=1:2.
• The PL intensity reached highest when t=5 h for the sample MolNWs:QDs=1:4.
• The PL intensity reached highest when t=6 h for the sample MolNWs:QDs=1:6.

ZnS:Mn2+ nanowires (NWs)/ZnO quantum dots (QDs)/SiO2 nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by Stöber method. The results showed that the number of the ZnO QDs dispersed on the surface of the ZnS:Mn2+ NWs was increased as the molar ratio of the QDs to NWs increased from 2:1 to 6:1, the thickness of the SiO2 sheath increased from 13.14 to 14.71 nm as the hydrolysis time of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) increased from 4 to 7 h. The intensity of the yellow–orange emission reached the highest value when t=4, 5, 6 h, respectively, for the nanocomposites with the molar ratio of the NWs to QDs was 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6.