Abstract
In this work, atypical zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs) on quartz substrates were successfully synthesized using simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly hydrothermal method. The ZnO NRs were grown on a pre-seeded seed layer of ZnO nanocrystals using the spin coating process. Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were sputtered on the ZnO NRs film. The structure and morphology of the produced nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD analysis revealed that the ZnO NRs were single crystalline with hexagonal wurtzite structure grown with preferred orientation of (002). The SEM morphology shows a semi-hierarchical ZnO NRs with an estimated diameter of 200–400 nm and length of 4–5 μm. The optical properties of the ZnO NRs film were investigated using UV-visible spectrophotometers. The obtained bandgap of ZnO film was 3.0 eV. Electrical and thermal properties were also measured. The resistance changes versus temperature variation of ZnO NRs were given a semiconductor behavior. The gas sensor was fabricated based on bare ZnO NRs and Au NPs/ZnO NRs hybrid. The second nanostructure exhibited an enhanced sensor sensitivity toward ethanol gas at an optimized working temperature of 325 °C.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alaie Z, Mohammad NS, Yousefi MH, Safarzadeh S (2016) The effect of different seed layers and growth time on the quality of ZnO NRs arrays. Int J Nanosci Nanotechnol 12:119–130
Alejandro E-M, Rubén A-G, Ernesto C-A, Armando P-C, Antonio M-B, Carlos A-T (2016) ZnO micro- and nanostructures obtained by thermal oxidation: microstructure, morphogenesis, optical, and photoluminescence properties. Crystals 6:135. https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst6100135
Ayesha NUH, Akhtar N, Ikram U, Ghulam M, Masoom Y, Imran K (2017) Synthesis approaches of zinc oxide nanoparticles: the dilemma of ecotoxicity. J Nanomater 2017:8510342 14 pages. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/8510342
Beatriz AV, Cecilia AZ, Tarcisio MP, Diogo PV (2017) ZnO nanorods/graphene oxide sheets prepared by a chemical bath. J Alloys Compd 696:996–1003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.12.075
Benoit NI, Amy CC, Stefan S, Raffaello DC, Tim SJ, Sandrine H, Martyn AM, David WM, Riley DJ, Mary PR (2011) Electrodeposition of ZnO layers for photovoltaic applications: controlling film thickness and orientation. J Mater Chem 21:12949–12957. https://doi.org/10.1039/C1JM11225Bh
Changlei X, Shichao Z, Shengbin W et al (2016) ZnO nanoparticles encapsulated in a 3D hierarchical carbon framework as anode for lithium-ion battery. Electrochim Acta 189:245–225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2015.11.045
Cui J (2012) Zinc oxide nanowires. Mater Charact 64:43–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2011.11.017
Doungporn Y, Kanittha B, Wiyong K (2009) Preparation of ZnO nanostructures by solvothermal method. J Micros Soc Thai 23:75–78
Esmaeel D, Mohammad R, Fereshteh B (2010) One-step synthesis of maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles by a wet chemical method. J Alloys Compd 502:257–260. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2010.04.163
Faisal AD (2016) Optimization of CVD parameters for long ZnO NWs grown on ITO/glass substrate. Bull Mater Sci 39:1635–1643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-016-1316-6
Faisal AD (2017) Synthesis of ZnO comb-like nanostructures for high sensitivity H2S gas sensor fabrication at room temperature. Bull Mater Sci 40:1061–1068
Frank G, Köstlin H (1982) Electrical properties and defect model of tin-doped indium oxide layers. Appl Phys A 27:197–206. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00619080
Giri PK, Patel PK, Panchal CJ, Bhattacharyya S, Kumari S, Singh DK, Desai MS (2007) Studies on zinc oxide nanorods grown by electron beam evaporation technique. Synth Reactivity Inorg Metal-Organic Nano-Metal Chem 37:437–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/15533170701466018
Gumu C, Ozkendir OM, Kavak H, Ufuktepe Y (2006) Structural and optical properties of zinc oxide thin films prepared by spray pyrolysis method. J Optoelectron Adv Mater 8:299–303 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280137343
Hamed M, Majid D (2017) Zinc oxide nanoparticles. Biological synthesis and biomedical applications. Ceram Int 43:907–914. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceramint.2016.10.051
Hasnidawani JN, Azlina HN, Norita HN, Bonnia NN, Ratim S, Ali ES (2016) Synthesis of ZnO nanostructures using sol-gel method. Procedia Chem 19:211–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proche.2016.03.095
Heller RB, McGannon J, Weber AH (1950) Precision determination of the lattice constants of zinc oxide. J Appl Phys 21:1283–1284. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1699591
Huanming M, Zhiwei Q, Zaide W, Ahmad M et al (2017) Enhanced field emission of ZnO nanoneedle arrays via solution etching at room temperature. Mater Lett 206:162–165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2017.07.014
Husam SA, Abdullah MJ (2015) Preparation of ZnO nanostructures by RF-magnetron sputtering on thermally oxidized porous silicon substrate for VOC sensing application. Measurement 59:248–257. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.measurement.2014.08.011
Jimenez-Cadena G, Comini E, Ferroni M, Vomiero A, Sberveglieri G (2010) Synthesis of different ZnO nanostructures by a modified PVD process and potential use for 1dye-sensitized solar cells. Mater Chem Phys 124:694–698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchemphys.2010.07.035
Kołodziejczak-Radzimska A, Jesionowski T, Krysztafkiewicz A (2010) Obtaining zinc oxide from aqueous solutions of KOH and Zn(CH3COO)2. Physicochem Probl Miner Process 44:93–102
Lewis K (1964) X-ray diffraction in crystals, imperfect crystals, and amorphous bodies. J Chem Educ 41:292. https://doi.org/10.1021/ed041p292.2
Lin JC, Lee CP, Ho KC (2012) Zinc oxide synthesis via a microemulsion technique: morphology control with application to dye-sensitized solar cells. J Mater Chem 22:1270–1273. https://doi.org/10.1039/C1JM15227K
Lv H, Sang DD, Li HD, Du XB, Li DM, Zou GT (2010) Thermal evaporation synthesis and properties of ZnO nano/microstructures using carbon group elements as the reducing agents. Nanoscale Res Lett 5:620–624. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11671-010-9524-2
Mohamad HM, Tetsuo S, Mohamad RM (2015) Humidity sensor- a review of nanostructured zinc oxide (ZnO) –based humidity sensor. Adv Mater Res 1109:395–400. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.1109.395
Mohammad K, Vahedi V, Reyhani A (2012) Synthesis and characterization of ZnO nanowires by thermal oxidation of Zn thin films at various temperatures. Molecules 17:5021–5029. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules17055021
Mote VD, Purushotham Y, Dole BN (2012) Williamson-hall analysis in estimation of lattice strain in nanometer-sized ZnO particles. J Theor Appl Phys 6:1–6 http://www.jtaphys.com/content/2251-7235/6/1/6
Muchuweni E, Stephen ST, Hyggins N (2017) Synthesis and characterization of zinc oxide thin films for optoelectronic applications. Heliyon 3:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00285
Muhammad H, Hongyu S, Shafqat K, Amjad N, Maaz K, Anwar UH, Munawar I, Mashkoor A (2016) Noble metal nanoparticle-functionalized ZnO nanoflowers for photocatalytic degradation of RhB dye and electrochemical sensing of hydrogen peroxide. J Nanopart Res 18:1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3397-y
Oktik S (1988) Low cost, non-vacuum techniques for the preparation of thin/thick films for photovoltaic applications. Prog Cryst Growth Charact 17:171–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/0146-3535(88)90006-8
Paraguay F, Estrada W, Acosta DR, Andrade E, Yoshida MM (1999) Growth, structure and optical characterization of high-quality ZnO thin film obtained by spray pyrolysis. Thin Solid Films 350:192–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0040-6090(99)00050-4
Pearton SJ, Norton DP, Ip K, Heo YW, Steiner T (2003) Recent progress in processing and properties of ZnO. Superlattices Microst 34:3–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-6036(03)00093-4
Rafaela DS, Dongwook K, Qiuchen D, Wai Y, Daniel SC, Luiz HCM, Yu L (2018) Sensitive and selective NH3 monitoring at room temperature using ZnO ceramic nanofibers decorated with polystyrene sulfonate. Sensors 18:1–13. https://doi.org/10.3390/s18041058
Rajesh K, Girish K, Ahmad U (2014) Pulse laser deposited nanostructured ZnO thin films: a review article. J Nanosci Nanotechnol 14:1911–1930. https://doi.org/10.1166/jnn.2014.9120y
Richa S (2013) Temperature sensor based on nano-sized zinc oxide synthesized via dropwise method. Int J Pure Appl Sci Technol 14:9–15 https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/24e3/a7b67dec4efebcf5e2d91516d3b2d10a4b2f.pdf
Salvatore C, Giorgia F, Vincenzina S, Kuo-Juei H, Ting-Wei L, Nofar MH, Salvo M, Didier G, Peter L, Yosi S-D (2017) Role of AuxPt1–x clusters in the enhancement of the electrochemical activity of ZnO nanorod electrodes. J Phys Chem C 121:15644–15652. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.7b00480
Shi W, Song S, Zhang H (2013) Hydrothermal synthetic strategies of inorganic semiconducting nanostructures. Chem Soc Rev 42:5714–5743. http://pubs.rsc.org. https://doi.org/10.1039/C3CS60012B
Xiaohong X, Kangzhe C, Yijing W, Jiao Lifang J (2016) 3D hierarchical porous ZnO/ZnCo2O4 nanosheets as high-rate anode material for lithium-ion batteries. J Mater Chem A 4:6042–6047. https://doi.org/10.1039/c6ta00723f
Yang K, She GW, Wang H, Ou XM, Zhang XH, Lee CS, Lee ST (2009) ZnO nanotube arrays as biosensors for glucose. J Phys Chem C 113:20169–20172. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp901894j
Yangyang Z, Manoj KR, Elias KS, Yogi GD (2012) Synthesis characterization, and applications of ZnO nanowires. J Nanomater 12:1–22. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/624520
Yuhai S, Limin C, Yunfeng B, Yujun Z, Jing W, Mingli F, Junliang W, Daigi Y (2016) The applications of morphology-controlled ZnO in catalysis. Catalysts 6:1–44. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal6120188
Zak AK, Majid WA, Abrishami ME, Yousefi R (2011) X-ray analysis of ZnO nanoparticles by Williamson–hall and size–strain plot methods. Solid State Sci 13:251–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solidstatesciences.2010.11.024
Zhai B, Huang Y-M (2016) A review on recent progress in ZnO based photocatalysts. Opt Mater 1:22–36 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878535216301058
Zhang SB, Wei S-H, Alex Z (2001) Intrinsic n-type versus p-type doping asymmetry and the defect physics of ZnO. Phys Rev B Condens Matter B 63:075205–7. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.63.075205
Zhiwei S, Amy VW (2015) Chemical Bath deposition of ZnO on functionalized self-assembled monolayers: selective deposition and control of deposit morphology. Langmuir 31:1421–1428. https://doi.org/10.1021/la5040239
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Thamer, A., Faisal, A., Abed, A. et al. Synthesis of gold-coated branched ZnO nanorods for gas sensor fabrication. J Nanopart Res 22, 74 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-020-04783-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-020-04783-0