Al solubility in ZnO nanocrystals synthesized by solvothermal method

The Al-doped ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized by a solvothermal method with nominal Al content ranging from 3 to 7 at.% in the precursors, and the Al solubility in ZnO nanocrystals was investigated. When the nominal Al content in the precursors was less than 5 at.%, the single-phase Al-doped ZnO nanocrystals with wurtzite structure were synthesized at 260 degrees C for 20 h. The maximum Al solubility in ZnO nanocrystals was about 2.97 at.%, as the the nominal Al content in the precursor was 5 at.%. In the solvothermal process, the Al-doped ZnO nanocrystals tended to grow along the c-axis direction to form nanorods based on the oriented-attachment growth mechanism.