Growth, properties and sensor applications of low temperature grown ZnO nanorods

Abstract

ZnO nanorods with the average diameter of about 60–300 nm have been grown by the low temperature aqueous chemical growth technique. The impact of growth time and reactant concentration on the morphology on ZnO structures was tested by scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. High optical quality of obtained ZnO nanorod films was evidenced by dominating free exciton transitions. The reduction of surface to volume ratio by increasing the diameter of ZnO nanorods resulted in a linear increase of excitonic luminescence intensity with respect to the defect related emission. Excellent photoluminescence properties and high surface area of ZnO nanorods can be used for the detection of organic contaminants dissolved in water. The quenching of both excitonic and defect luminescence was observed upon exposure of ZnO nanorod films to various organic contaminants.