Microwave assisted hydrothermal synthesis of hierarchical structured ZnO nanorods

Abstract

ZnO nanorods with hierarchical structures were prepared using the micowave hydrothermal method. The structure, morphology and the crystalline phase of the synthesised nanorods were characterised using X-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive X-ray analysis, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectrometer respectively. The experimental results showed that the hierarchical structured ZnO nanorods have an average diameter ∼400 nm, the thorn-like nanostructures grown on the surface of nanorods in high density have different length from about 10 to 80 nm, and approximately in a diameter of 20 nm respectively. The photoluminescence spectrum exhibited that the hierarchical structured ZnO nanorods have a strong green band emissions at 415 and 465 nm respectively. The photocatalytic experiment results shown that the as prepared ZnO hierarchical structured nanorods exhibit excellent photocatalytic activity because of their special morphology and structure. The mechanism for the formation of the hierarchical nanostructures is also briefly described.