Synthesis and characterization of one dimensional ZnO nanorods

ZnO nanorods were grown through wet chemical route in a reaction flask possess reflux condenser by using high purity Zn(NO3)2.xH2O and C6H12N4 (HMTA) as preparatory materials. These nanorods (NRs) were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and UV-Visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer. SEM micrograph reveals the hexagonal structure with average diameter 480 nm and length 2.038 µm. XRD data indicates a polycrystalline single phase with wurtzite structure at room temperature. Various structural parameters were analyzed through Rietveld refinement method on the XRD data, and precise cell parameters were found a = b = 0.32516(4) nm and c = 0.52057(2) nm for ZnO NRs. UV-Vis spectra exhibits a very strong and sharp absorption peak at wavelength of 378 nm. The first order numerical derivative (dA/dE) of absorbance spectra indicates a band gap at 3.22 eV for these NRs.