Manganese‐Doped Zinc Orthosilicate‐Bearing Phosphor Microparticles with Controlled Three‐Dimensional Shapes Derived from Diatom Frustules

Abstract

Mn‐doped zinc orthosilicate (Zn2SiO4)‐bearing phosphor microparticles were synthesized with controlled three‐dimensional (3‐D) morphologies inherited from the microshells (frustules) of diatoms (unicellular algae). Silica‐based diatom frustules were first coated with manganese and zinc oxide nanoparticles by exposure to an acetate precursor solution and then firing at 700°C. Subsequent reaction of the nanoparticles with the underlying silica at 1050°C yielded compact, continuous, and conformal Mn‐doped Zn2SiO4 coatings on the frustule surfaces. The converted 3‐D microparticles exhibited bright green emission upon stimulation with 275‐nm light. Photoluminescent microparticles with a wide variety of well‐controlled 3‐D morphologies can be mass produced with this simple, low‐cost bioclastic process.

Thermal and chemical methods for producing zinc silicate (willemite): A review

“…Furthermore, designing the shape and morphology has been studied, i.e. one-dimensional nanowires [150,151], nanowire bundles [83], aligned nanowires [152,153], microwires and microbelts [96], pyramid shape [154], threedimensional control [70,141,155,156], and shape control by using templates such as mesoporous silica [74,91] to optimize optical, electrical, mechanical, and other properties and usability for each application.…”

Hierarchically Porous Ceramics from Diatomite Powders by Pulsed Current Processing

“…The chemical composition and the physical structure of diatomite make it of great commercial value for a broad spectrum of applications such as beer filter aids, 15 removal of textile dyes from waste water, 19,20 and sorption of heavy metal ions 21,22 . Diatoms can also serve as a starting material for the production of nanostructured particles of different compositions by shape‐preserving chemical conversion 23,24 …”

“…21,22 Diatoms can also serve as a starting material for the production of nanostructured particles of different compositions by shape-preserving chemical conversion. 23,24 The features and properties of the porous ceramic material, e.g. porosity, pore size distribution, pore morphology, and the pore connectivity (commonly identified as the relation between open and closed porosity), depend strongly on the processing route.…”

Engineering bacteria for biogenic synthesis of chalcogenide nanomaterials

“…Biogenic synthesis of nanomaterials is a process of creating nanomaterials using biochemical reactions and biomolecules from bacteria, fungi, plants and viruses. Microbes found in nature are capable of building nanoscale materials, such as magnetosomes and silicates (Cai et al ., ; Yan et al ., ). Microbes have also evolved redox enzymes capable of processing many starting materials used in semiconductor and metallic nanostructure, such as manganese, iron, selenium, arsenate, uranium and chromium (Liu et al ., ; Nealson et al ., ; Yan et al ., ).…”

“…Microbes have also evolved redox enzymes capable of processing many starting materials used in semiconductor and metallic nanostructure, such as manganese, iron, selenium, arsenate, uranium and chromium (Liu et al ., ; Nealson et al ., ; Yan et al ., ). These capabilities suggest the possibility of large‐scale synthesis of nanomaterials by cells, similar to the large‐scale biogenic synthesis of organic compounds, including biofuels and drugs (Cai et al ., ; Yan et al ., ). Cellular construction of nanomaterials can also leverage the continued advancement of genetic control circuits, enabling the combination and fine‐tuned control of synthesis pathways to modulate nanomaterial properties.…”