Photoluminescence and Structural Properties of ZnO Nanorods Growth by Assisted-Hydrothermal Method

Semiconducting zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods were obtained in bulk quantity by an hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA)-assisted hydrothermal method at low temperature (90°C) with methenamine ((CH3)6N4 as surfactant and catalyst and zinc nitrate Zn(NO3)2·6H2O as Zn source. The structure and phase of ZnO nanorods were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques (HRTEM). The morphology of the nanostructures was studied by scanning electron microscope (SEM) method. The photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated founding two emission bands under UV excitation.