Dimethylamine Controlled Sol-Gel Process to Grow ZnO Nanorods

Abstract

ZnO nanorods were prepared using dimethylamine (DMA) controlled Sol-Gel process. Dimethylamine was added as an additive to control the sol-gel process for growing ZnO nanorods. DMA would exhibit stabilizing effect, promote dissolution of precursor and control the rate of sol-gel reactions because of its basic nature and significant miscibility. The Structural and microstructural properties of the powders were characterized by X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). FESEM and TEM analysis revealed that the ZnO powder prepared were nanorods in nature. The optical properties of powders were characterized by UV-Visible and Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The Structural, morphological, optical and photoluminescence properties of so obtained ZnO powders consisting of nanorods were studied. DMA is simple amine but found to be very effective to control the aspect ratio of nanorods. The role of DMA in growing wurtzite structured hexagonal ZnO nanorods with [0001] orientation was interpreted and growth mechanism of ZnO nanorods was explained.

Keywords

• nanostructures
• nucleation
• sol-gel growth
• zno nanorods