Light-emitting boron nitride nanoparticles encapsulated in zeolite ZSM-5

We report strong visible photoluminescence (PL) at room temperature from BN nanoparticles encapsulated in ZSM-5. The investigation of powder X-ray dif fraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, adsorption of N-2, UV-Vis absor ption, and PL spectra shows that BN nanoparticles have been successfully en capsulated in ZSM-5. Intense blue PL can be obtained from the BN/ZSM-5 samp le. Analysis of PL spectra leads us to propose that the luminescence may or iginate from the bound excitons at the defects or impurities in the BN nano particles, a quasi-direct-gap semiconductor material transferred from indir ect-gap BN by encapsulation in ZSM-5. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.