Hydrothermal processing of electrospun fibers in the synthesis of 1D ZnO nanoparticles

• Published in: Materials letters 2016-08, Vol.176, p.278-281
• Main Authors: Petrović, Željka, Ristić, Mira, Marciuš, Marijan, Ivanda, Mile, Đurina, Vedran, Musić, Svetozar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electron microscopy; Electrospinning; Elongation; Fibers; Hydrothermal treatment; Nanoparticles; Nanorods; Polyvinylpyrrolidone; Zinc; Zinc oxide; ZnO
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2016.04.119

ZnO fibers were prepared by electrospinning of a viscous solution of zinc acetate and polyvinylpyrrolidone in C2H5OH/H2O followed by their calcination at 400°C. Thus obtained ZnO fibers were hydrothermally processed at 160°C in aqueous medium containing hydrolyzed zinc acetylacetonate. For short times of electrospinning and relatively short times of hydrothermal processing the uniform ZnO nanorods perpendicular to the axis of electrospun fibers were obtained. The adsorption of zinc hydrolytical products as well as an acetylacetonate group on selected crystal planes was considered responsible for the morphology and size of the ZnO produced. For a longer time (8h) of hydrothermal processing the recrystallization of ZnO was noticed with the formation of bigger particles elongated along the c-axis with a±b. [Display omitted] •A new chemical procedure for the synthesis of ZnO nanorods was given.•Combination of the electrospinning and autoclaving was utilized.•Electrospun ZnO fibers served as seeds for fast 1D ZnO crystal growth.•Crystal growth depends on the energetically most sutiable seeds crystal direction