Synthesis Characterization and Applications of ZnO Nanostructures

Abstract

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures show many interesting physical and chemical properties and thus have been suggested for various applications in optical electronic and photocatalytic devices. ZnO due to their wide range of nanostructures like rods belts wire flower-like etc. has attracted much attention in nanoscience based applications such as memory devices storage devices nanolasers light emitting diodes solar cells gas sensors photocatalysts photodetectors etc. newline Owing to the properties and applications the facile synthesis of ZnO nanostructures with highly controlled structures uniform morphologies and novel properties has been a field of significant interest. Innovative and effective techniques have been carried out to synthesize ZnO nanostructures such as sol-gel hydrothermal process chemical vapor deposition etc. But most of these techniques need complicated equipment; severe conditions or preparation procedures are complex or also have difficulty in controllability. newlineIn the present work a facile solution route is used for the synthesis of ZnO nanostructures viz. nanosheets flower-like structures and nanoparticles at room temperature without using a directing agent or template in the precursor solution. By changing the synthesis parameters such as concentration of precursor and alkali solution reaction time solvent and addition of surfactant the ZnO structures of different morphologies have been formed. The effect of synthesis parameter on the morphology of ZnO structures has been studied. The method adopted in this study is comparatively cost effective and low temperature for the synthesis of variety of ZnO nanostructures. newline newline