Preparation of one-dimensional nanostructured ZnO

Rod-like ZnO particles were synthesized via a sol–gel method by adding ethylene diamine (EDA) to the reaction system of Zn(Ac)2·2H2O and H2C2O4·2H2O. The crystal phase and morphology of the products were characterized by XRD (X-ray powder diffractometer) and TEM (transmission electron microscope). Rod-like ZnO belongs to the hexagonal Wurtzite system, with diameters and lengths of about 20–200 nm and 0.2–1.5 μm, respectively. Experimental results showed that the morphology of nano-ZnO can be controlled by modulating the quantities of EDA added into the reaction system and that EDA plays an important role in the formation of rod-like ZnO particles. The growth mechanism of the rod-like nano-ZnO was briefly discussed. The proposed facile, reproducible, effective and low-cost synthesis promises future large-scale preparation of nanostructured ZnO for application in nanotechnology.