Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured zinc oxide particles synthesized by the pyrosol method

Nanostructured ZnO particles with different crystallite dimensions, in the range between 5.7 and 21.8 nm, with poly-crystalline structure, have been obtained, in a facile manner, using the pyrosol method. The microstructure and properties of the obtained powders were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected area electron diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy. From the XRD spectra it was observed that, starting from 600 °C, zinc oxide with wurtzite structure is obtained. The particles have spherical morphology, as it can be seen from SEM images, with an average particle size ranging from 0.2 to 2 μm. The TEM analysis reveals that the particles are in fact agglomerates, nanostructured, with an average nanoparticles size as low as 13.9 nm. The composition, morphology and size of obtained particles are influenced by the synthesis temperatures, as well as by the concentration of precursor solutions.