Luminescent Properties of the Surface of ZnS–Mn Nanocrystals Obtained by Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis

Luminescence of nanocrystalline ZnS–Mn powder obtained by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis is studied. The luminescence was excited by chemical recombination of hydrogen atoms on the surface. The synthetic technique and ZnS–Mn characteristics obtained using x-ray diffraction analysis, EPR spectra, and nonstationary luminescent methods for studying the elementary acts of interaction of hydrogen with the surface are described. The reaction mechanisms of the recombination of H-atoms on the surface are established. A mechanism is developed for excitation of heterogeneous chemiluminescence of nanocrystalline ZnS–Mn by atomic hydrogen. Criteria for sensors of atoms in gases are determined. It is shown that the synthesized ZnS–Mn samples can be used to construct highly sensitive inertialess chemiluminescent sensors for detecting hydrogen atoms in gases.