Gallium ion-assisted room temperature synthesis of small-diameter ZnO nanorods

► Single crystalline small-diameter ZnO nanorods were synthesized by gallium-assisted reaction. ► No gallium atoms were incorporated into the synthesized nanorods. ► Gallium ions were involved in suppressing the dissolution of ZnO. ► The UV-Vis absorption spectra of the ZnOs were blue-shifted relative to that of 230 nm diameter ZnO.