Wet chemical synthesis of ZnO nanocrystals: dependence of growth and morphology on the solvent composition

Zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals were prepared using a wet chemical route starting from zinc acetate dihydrate dissolved in pure ethanol, pure water, and mixtures of ethanol and water. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies along with thermogravimetric analyses results show that ZnO begins to crystallize at a temperature lower than 100 °C in a starting solution having 1:4 ethanol–water volume ratio. For other starting solutions, ZnO forms above 150 °C. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies confirm the formation of nanoparticles of size ~15–20 nm and XRD analysis shows that the particles crystallize in the wurtzite structure. SEM and TEM studies show that ZnO particles grown in pure ethanol, pure water and in ethanol–water mixtures (other than the 1:4 mixture) have similar morphology, with the nanocrystals forming randomly grouped clusters. In the case of 1:4 solvent, however, the morphology is different, ZnO in this case growing in the form of chain like structures which appear like rods. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra exhibit a strong emission band in the red region probably caused by transitions between deep levels involving zinc interstitials.