Effects of initial precursor and microwave irradiation on step-by-step synthesis of zinc oxide nano-architectures

• Published in: Materials letters 2012-01, Vol.67 (1), p.342-345
• Main Authors: Kajbafvala, Amir, Samberg, Joshua P., Ghorbani, Hamed, Kajbafvala, Ehsan, Sadrnezhaad, S.K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: butanol; Chemical precursors; irradiation; Microwave heating; microwave treatment; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; nanoparticles; Nanorods; Nanostructure; Precursors; Scanning electron microscopy; sodium hydroxide; Synthesis; transmission electron microscopy; X-ray diffraction; zinc acetate; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxide nano-architectures
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2011.09.106

ZnO nano-architectures were produced with the aid of a fast, simple and low cost microwave-assisted synthesis method. Solid semispherical ZnO nanoparticles on the order of 600 nm in diameter along with rice-like ZnO nanorods 95 nm thick were produced from butanol, triethanolamine (TEA), and zinc acetate dihydrate. Solid spherical ZnO nano-architectures with an average diameter of 250 nm were produced from the same starting materials in addition to NaOH. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the ZnO nano-architectures as well as the precursor. This method is cheap, fast and simple; capable of producing large quantities of each ZnO nanostructure. Investigation of the step-by-step formation mechanism for each ZnO nanostructure was conducted. ► We studied rapid synthesis of various ZnO nanostructures via simple chemical solution routes. ► We have Investigated the effects of initial precursor on morphologies of ZnO. ► We have studied the effects of microwave heating on synthesis of ZnO nano-architectures. ► We have evaluated the behavior of NaOH as an additive to our initial ZnO precursor on its morphology. ► We have found this method to be a fast, simple and low cost method for production of ZnO nanopowders with different morphologies.