Synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles with controlled morphology

Abstract

A chemical precipitation method has been used for the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles with controlled morphology. The precursor powders were prepared using several precipitation reagents and using ammonium carbamate as a precipitating reagent led to unusual rod-shape morphology. The precursor was decomposed by heating in air resulting in the formation of spherical or rod-like shapes of zinc oxide. A flow injection synthesis technique has been developed to synthesize nanophase particles of zinc oxide. The precursor and decomposed products were analyzed using IR, SEM, XRD and TGA techniques. The average size of the particles of ZnO obtained using the flow injection technique was approximately 20 nm while the crystallite size as measured from the X-ray pattern was 10–15 nm.