Transformation of Non-Conjugated Polymers into Oxide Nanocomposites Exhibiting Photocurrent Switching in a Wide Light Spectrum Range

Narrowing the bandgap of wide-bandgap oxides and controlling defects are crucial ways of enhancing the properties of functional materials. One important way to develop multifunctional hybrids is to transform non-conjugated polymers into oxide nanocomposites. To expand the broad-spectrum applications of wide-bandgap oxides, ZnO-based nanocomposites were synthesised using cross-linking non-conjugated polymers via one-pot carbonisation. As polymer-derived nanocomposites exhibit significant scattering noise, the grain boundaries of the nanocomposites were filled using additives that have an electronic effect. Optimising the grain boundaries in this way significantly decreased the scattering noise, avoided large fluctuations in baseline current and enhanced the interfacial charge transfer in broadband light spectral regions. The electronic effects of the used additives can effectively passivate defects in the polymer-derived oxide nanocomposites’ aggregation state, improving photocurrent extraction. Even after storage at room temperature for two years, the optimised nanocomposite exhibited favourable photocurrent signals when excited using typical light sources at wavelengths of 650, 808, 980 and 1064 nm. This nanocomposite has potential applications in interdisciplinary fields involving light harvesting. This study provides a simple, environmentally friendly strategy to creating multifunctional hybrids using non-conjugated polymers as precursors.