Investigation of the enhancement fluorescence of ethanol doped SiO2 nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT

As one of the most commonly used solvents, ethanol exhibits weak fluorescence when excited by ultraviolet (UV) light. Until now, the fluorescence of ethanol-doped nanoparticles has not been studied. In this paper, eleven different concentrations of SiO2 nanoparticles (diameter 100 nm) were doped in ethanol, and corresponding colloids were formed. The excitation and emission spectra of the colloids were measured. The experimental results indicated that the SiO2 nanoparticles obviously enhanced the fluorescence of ethanol. Under excitation at 306 nm, the enhancement effect is the best when the concentration of SiO2 nanoparticles is 4.452 x 10(12) ml(-1), and the enhancement factor is nearly 50 times at the peak position of 360 nm. At the excitation wavelength of 360 nm, the enhancement effect is the best when the concentration of SiO2 nanoparticles is 1.113 x 10(13) ml(-1), and the enhancement factor is nearly 40 times at the peak position of 397 nm. The result of this article will reduce the test limit of ethanol by two magnitudes.