Effects of Ultraviolet Light on Optical Properties of Colloidal CdS Nanoparticles Embedded in Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Matrix

Abstract

CdS nanoparticles have been synthesized in aqueous solution using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a capping reagent. The effects of exposure by ultraviolet (UV) light on optical properties of nanocomposites consisting of colloidal CdS nanoparticles and a polymer PVA matrix were studied by employing photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. It is shown that UV-induced changes of the photoluminescence intensity in PVA are caused by creation and healing of non-radiative recombination centers. It is also concluded that in the nanocomposites, the UV-induced changes of the PL intensity are predominantly governed by processes at the NP/PVA interface