Low-temperature growth of ZnO nanorods by chemical bath deposition

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science Vol. 313; no. 2; pp. 705 - 710
• Main Authors: Yi, Sung-Hak, Choi, Seung-Kyu, Jang, Jae-Min, Kim, Jung-A, Jung, Woo-Gwang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: San Diego, CA Elsevier Inc 15.09.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Chemical bath deposition; Chemistry; Colloidal gels. Colloidal sols; Colloidal state and disperse state; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Hydrothermal; Nanorod array; Sol–gel reaction; Surface physical chemistry; ZnO; ZnO seed; ZnO seed; ZnO; Chemical bath deposition; Hydrothermal; Nanorod array; Sol–gel reaction; Growth; Sol gel process; Chemical deposition; Transition element compounds; Sol-gel reaction; Hydrothermal condition; Low temperature
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2007.05.006

Aligned ZnO nanorod arrays were synthesized using a chemical bath deposition method at normal atmospheric pressure without any metal catalyst. A simple two-step process was developed for growing ZnO nanorods on a PET substrate at 90–95 °C. The ZnO seed precursor was prepared by a sol–gel reaction. ZnO nanorod arrays were fabricated on ZnO-seed-coated substrate. The ZnO seeds were indispensable for the aligned growth of ZnO nanorods. The ZnO nanorods had a length of 400–500 nm and a diameter of 25–50 nm. HR-TEM and XRD analysis confirmed that the ZnO nanorod is a single crystal with a wurtzite structure and its growth direction is [0001] (the c-axis). Photoluminescence measurements of ZnO nanorods revealed an intense ultraviolet peak at 378.3 nm (3.27 eV) at room temperature. FE-SEM images of aligned ZnO nanorods on PET substrate: (a) ZnO nanorods without seeds (plain view, low magnification); (b) ZnO nanorods with seeds (plain view, low magnification); (c) ZnO nanorods on seeds (cross-section). Nucleation of ZnO nanorod on ZnO seeds has a low free energy barrier of activation than on bare substrate. So, the ZnO seeds were indispensable for the aligned growth of ZnO nanorod.