Abstract
An environmentally benign, inexpensive hydrothermal route is used to synthesize flowerlike morphology composed of hexagonal ZnO nanorods (NRs) without using a template, surfactant, organic solvents or any catalytic agent under low hydrothermal pressure. The method involves direct growth of ZnO nanorods with flowerlike morphology, using an aqueous alkaline solution of ZnSO 4 and NaOH, at relatively low temperature. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data confirms the high crystal quality of ZnO with hexagonal (wurtzite-type) crystal structure. SEM images show that the ZnO product consists of hexagonal nanorods that originate from the same nucleating center and grow with a flowerlike pattern, with a hundred per cent morphological yield. The product was also characterized with EDAX, UV-visible, and PL techniques and the results are reported. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.