Polymer-mediated synthesis of ZnO nanostructures
View Patent ↗Disclosed are methods for producing ZnO nanostructures, the methods comprising heating an aqueous solution comprising a zinc compound, a base, and a polymer which is polyvinylpyrrolidinone or poly(ethylene glycol).
1. A method for producing a ZnO nanostructure wherein the ZnO nanostructure has a single-phase wurtzite structure, the method comprising:
receiving aqueous zinc chloride in a solution;
receiving aqueous hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the solution;
receiving polyvinylpyrrolidinone (PVP) in the solution, wherein the solution comprises about 2 wt % to about 20 wt % of PVP;
receiving a copper substrate in the solution; and
heating the solution to a temperature of greater than about 80° C. and less than 100° C. to form the single-phase wurtzite ZnO nanostructure deposited on the substrate.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ZnO nanostructure of the particular shape has room temperature photoluminescence.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the photoluminescence has a maximum centered at about 590 nm.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating is performed at ambient pressure.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating includes heating to a temperature of at least 85° C. and less than 100° C.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating includes heating for at least 80 minutes.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heating includes heating for about 50 minutes.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the zinc chloride to the HMTA is 1:1 to 2:1.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the zinc chloride to the HMTA is 1:1.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution is prepared by mixing the aqueous solution of zinc chloride with aqueous HMTA, followed by addition of PVP.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the solution of zinc chloride has a concentration of about 0.01 M to 0.1 M.
12. A method for producing ZnO nanorods, the method comprising:
receiving aqueous zinc chloride in a solution;
receiving aqueous hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the solution, wherein the molar ratio of the zinc chloride to the HMTA is 1:1;
receiving polyvinylpyrrolidinone (PVP) in the solution, wherein the solution comprises about 20 wt % of PVP;
receiving a copper substrate in the solution;
heating the solution to a temperature of 85° C.-100° C.;
removing the substrate from the solution; and
drying the substrate to form the ZnO nanorods.
13. A method for producing a ZnO nanostructure wherein the ZnO nanostructure is a nanorod with an aspect ratio of 10:1, the method comprising:
receiving aqueous zinc chloride in a solution;
receiving aqueous hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) in the solution, wherein the molar ratio of the zinc chloride to the HMTA is 1:1;
receiving polyvinylpyrrolidinone (PVP) in the solution, wherein the solution comprises about 2 wt % of PVP;
receiving a copper substrate in the solution; and
heating the solution to a temperature of greater than about 80° C. and less than 100° C. to form the ZnO nanorod with an aspect ratio of 10:1.