Effect of infrared irradiation on immobilization of ZnO nanocrystals on multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The effect of infrared (IR) irradiation on the immobilization of ZnO nanocrystals on the surface of functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is investigated. The hybrids are characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and microscopy. The hexagonal wurtzite phase ZnO nanocrystals are formed on CNTs surface on calcination of the Zn(OH)2–CNT hybrids at 350 °C in a continuous flow of nitrogen. Microscopic measurements show that ZnO nanocrystals in size the range of 8 nm are formed when IR irradiation is employed; however, in the absence of IR irradiation, ZnO aggregates of the size of more than 100 nm are formed.