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

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Abstract

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.

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Abbreviations

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

SEM:

Scanning electron microscopy

TEM:

Transmission electron microscopy

HRTEM:

High resolution transmission electron microscopy

NBE:

Near band-edge emission

SAED:

Selected area electron diffraction

PL:

Photoluminescence

ICDD:

International centre for diffraction data

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Acknowledgments

This study is supported by the Sectorial Operational Programme Human Resources Development, financed from the European Social Fund and by the Romanian Government under the contract number POSDRU/107/1.5/S/76813.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1-7, Polizu Street, 011061, Bucharest, Romania

    Otilia-Ruxandra Vasile, Ecaterina Andronescu, Cristina Ghitulica, Bogdan Stefan Vasile & Ovidiu Oprea

  2. METAV Research and Development, 31 C.A. Rosetti, 020011, Bucharest, Romania

    Eugeniu Vasile & Roxana Trusca

Authors
  1. Otilia-Ruxandra Vasile
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  2. Ecaterina Andronescu
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  3. Cristina Ghitulica
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  4. Bogdan Stefan Vasile
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  5. Ovidiu Oprea
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  6. Eugeniu Vasile
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Correspondence to Bogdan Stefan Vasile.

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Vasile, OR., Andronescu, E., Ghitulica, C. et al. Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured zinc oxide particles synthesized by the pyrosol method. J Nanopart Res 14, 1269 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-012-1269-7

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