Control of interconnected ZnO nanowires to vertically aligned ZnO nanorod arrays by tailoring the underlying spray deposited ZnO seed layer

• Published in: Materials research bulletin Vol. 60; pp. 584 - 588
• Main Authors: Ranjith, K.S., Geethu, R., Vijayakumar, K.P., Rajendrakumar, R.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2014
• Subjects: A. Inorganic compounds; A. Nanostructures; A. Surfaces; B. Chemical synthesis; C. X-ray diffraction; B. Chemical synthesis; A. Inorganic compounds; A. Nanostructures; A. Surfaces; C. X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0025-5408; 1873-4227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2014.08.009

[Display omitted] Morphology controlled, ZnO nano-wire/rod arrays were grown in two-step growth process, using spray pyrolysis deposited ZnO seed layer and subsequent nano-wire/rod growth via simple solution growth. We demonstrate that by tailoring the underlying ZnO seed layer, the morphology of ZnO nanoarrays can be tuned from interconnected nanowires to highly faceted, vertically aligned nanorod arrays. Deposition temperature of spray seed layers was varied from 350°C to 550°C. The diameter and alignment of the nanorod arrays found to increase with deposition temperature of seed layer. Interconnected nanorod arrays and blunt tipped nanorod arrays were have the super hydrophobic nature with a water contact angle (CA) of 152°±2°, 137°±1.7° respectively and vertically aligned, prismatic, nanorod arrays show water CA of 119°±2.1°, due to reduction of air voids. The change in crystallite size and texture of spray deposited ZnO seed layers induced by variation in spray deposition temperature were responsible for the morphology, alignment, diameter control of ZnO nanoarrays. •The texture of the spray seed layer was controlled by deposition temperature of the glass substrate.•Morphology controlled c axis oriented ZnO nanostructural arrays were grown on the spray seeded glass substrates using aqueous solution method.•Influence of seed texture determines the growth and alignment of the vertically aligned ZnO nanorod arrays.•Wettable properties of the morphology controlled ZnO nanorod arrays were analyzed by Cassie–Baxter (CB) model. Morphology controlled, ZnO nano-wire/rod arrays were grown in two-step growth process, using spray pyrolysis deposited ZnO seed layer and subsequent nano-wire/rod growth via simple solution growth. We demonstrate that by tailoring the underlying ZnO seed layer, the morphology of ZnO nanoarrays can be tuned from interconnected nanowires to highly faceted, vertically aligned nanorod arrays. Deposition temperature of spray seed layers was varied from 350°C to 550°C. The diameter and alignment of the nanorod arrays found to increase with deposition temperature of seed layer. From the different morphology of nanostructural ZnO arrays, interconnected nanorod arrays have the super-hydrophobic nature with a water contact angle (CA) of 152°±2°, where as vertically aligned, prismatic, nanorod arrays show water CA of 119°±2.1°, due to reduction of air voids. The change in crystallite size and texture of spray deposited ZnO seed layers induced by variation in spray deposition temperature were responsible for the morphology, alignment, diameter control of ZnO nanoarrays.