Formation and characterization of ZnO nanopowder synthesized by sol–gel method

ZnO nanopowder formation through sol–gel route is reported here. Sol was prepared from zinc acetate dihydrate precursor and ethylene glycol as solvent. The resulting solution was highly water sensitive and converted to gel on addition of a few drops of water, final heating in two steps gave ZnO nanopowder. The properties of the synthesized nanopowder were studied using AFM, SEM, TEM, XRD, UV–VIS spectrophotometer, FT-IR, and TGA/DTA. The average size of the nanoparticles was determined by TEM as well as XRD data and found to be ∼19 nm. The UV–VIS spectrum of the synthesized nanopowders indicates a band gap of about 3.44 eV showing a weak blue shift compared to 3.37 eV for the bulk ZnO. Due to their good optical and electrical properties, nanophase ZnO is promising candidate for use as transparent electrodes in solar cells.