Thermal and optical characterization of rhodamine 6G doped silica-glasses

In heat-exchange applications, glasses with excellent heat transfer characteristics are essential. In this study, different concentrations of Rhodamine 6G (Rh6G) doped silica glasses were synthesized using the sol–gel method, and their thermal effusivities were measured and compared. The samples are structurally identified using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Using a UV–Vis spectrophotometer, the optical absorption spectra (in the range of 300–900 nm) of the intrinsic as well as Rh 1 × 10−4 M and Rh 1 × 10−3 M doped silica samples were recorded, which showed a peak centred at 500 nm for both the rhodamine doped silica samples and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic techniques, that indicates modification of lattice due to presence of Rh6G. An increase in absorption with a concentration of Rh6G was observed from the optical absorption spectrum. Open cell photoacoustic technique was used for the Photoacoustic (PA) studies. The thermal effusivity values obtained increase with the doping concentration of Rhodamine 6G (maximum value of 2.298 × 103 Ws1/2 K−1 m−2 corresponding to 1 × 10−3 M).