Modifying emission of ZnO nanoparticles in ZnO interceded polymer based hierarchical ordered nanocapsules

•A novel ZnO nanoparticles interceded polymer based nanocapsules has been made.•The nanocapsules are ordered and spherical in the size ranges 200–500 nm.•The photoluminescence of ZnO in nanocapsules has been tuned to visible region.

Here we report that a cationic polyamine in the presence of hydrogen phosphate spontaneously self-assemble due to ionic cross linkage to form aggregates, and when ~14 nm ZnO is added in alkaline environment ZnO mediated hierarchical ordered nanocapsules are formed. These nanocapsules are of 200–500 nm with a hydrodynamic radius of 170 nm. Such nanocapsules alter the photoluminescence of ZnO nanoparticles. The photoluminescence properties of the ZnO based nanocapsules depend on excitation wavelengths. The visible emission of ZnO nanocapsules is due to the defects or vacancies that are located mainly on the nanoparticle surfaces during the interaction between polymer and ZnO in the nanocapsules. The relative photoluminescence quenching in ZnO nanocapsules compared to ZnO in polymer solution could be referred to aggregation of ZnO nanoparticles during nanocapsule formation.

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