Fabrication and characterization of transparent ZnO–SiO2/silicone nanocomposites with tunable emission colors

ZnO quantum dot-SiO2 (Z–S) nanocomposite particles with tunable photoluminescence were obtained via hydrolyzing tetraethoxysilane in the ZnO quantum dots containing ethanol solution with further calcinations. The nanocomposite particles were introduced into a transparent silicone matrix and the ratio of ZnO to SiO2 was adjusted to maintain the transmittance in terms of the filler-matrix refractive index matching principle. Finally, transparent Z–S/silicone nanocomposites with tunable emission colors were successfully fabricated which may find potential applications as encapsulating materials for highly bright LED lamps.